DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, ENVIRONMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015

SUBCOMMITTEE

OF THE

COMMITTEE

ON

U.S. SENATE,
APPROPRIATIONS,
Washington, DC.

NONDEPARTMENTAL WITNESSES
[CLERKS NOTE.The subcommittee was unable to hold hearings
on nondepartmental witnesses. The statements and letters of those
submitting written testimony are as follows:]
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

ALEUTIAN PRIBILOF ISLANDS ASSOCIATION

The requests of the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association (APIA) for the fiscal year
2015 Indian Health Service (IHS) budget are as follows:
Amend the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands Restitution Act to appropriate $100.4
million for reconstruction of the Unalaska Hospital and the Atka Island clinic,
both of which were destroyed during World War II.
Allocate an additional $8.5 million to the IHS to fully fund Village Built Clinic
(VBC) Leases, and direct the IHS to use its fiscal year 2015 appropriations to
fully fund the VBC leases in accordance with section 804 of the Indian Health
Care Improvement Act (IHCIA).
Ensure that Contract Support Costs continue to be fully funded by moving the
program to mandatory spending.
Place IHS funding on an advance appropriations basis.
The Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association is a regional non-profit tribal organization with members consisting of the 13 federally recognized tribes of the Aleutian
Chain and Pribilof Islands Region of Alaska. APIA provides healthcare services to
the Alaska Natives in six of the tribal communities of this region through funding
received from the IHS under title V of the Indian Self-Determination & Education
Assistance Act (ISDEAA). We also provide health-related services to all 13 tribes
through various non-IHS grants and agreements.
Funding for Reconstruction of Two Health Care Facilities Destroyed During World
War II.During World War II, communities within the APIA region suffered historic losses, not only to their populations due to deaths arising from inadequate
healthcare and poor living conditions during removal by the U.S. Government to
camps in southeast Alaska, but also to two healthcare facilities that were destroyed
and never rebuilt or accounted for in prior restitution made to the Aleutian and
Pribilof tribal communities.
On June 4, 1942, the Japanese bombed the 24-bed hospital operated at that time
by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Unalaska, Alaska. Since that time, the closest
hospital is located in Anchorage, Alaska800 air miles away, and not accessible by
roads. Ten days later and 350 miles to the east, on June 14, 1942, the residents
of Atka Island were forcibly evacuated from the island by the United States for their
safety, and the U.S. Navy burned all of the structures on the island to the ground,
including the islands health clinic, to prevent their use by the Japanese.
Congress passed the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands Restitution Act in 1988 (Public
Law 100383), which led to creation of the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands Restitution
Trust to administer funds appropriated under the Restitution Act on behalf of the
St. Paul, St. George, Unalaska, Atka, Akutan, Nikolski, Biorka, Kashega and
Makushin communities. The Restitution Act provided very limited appropriations to
partially address losses suffered by these communities during evacuations from
(1)

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1942 to 1945. During that time, the treatment of the Aleut people in the evacuation
camps lacked even the most basic attention to health and human safety matters,
in extremely crowded, unheated, abandoned buildings with very poor sanitation conditions. Ten percent of the Aleuts who were evacuated died in the camps. For those
who returned to their communities, many found their homes and community facilities destroyed, possessions taken, and churches stripped of religious icons by the
U.S. military.
The time is now to replace the Unalaska hospital and the Atka Island Clinic. The
Aleutian and Pribilof tribal communities are the most remote within Alaska. The
next level of referred specialty and inpatient care is in Anchorage. To say that our
patients suffer from a lack of access to basic healthcare services is an understatement. Patients have died en route to Anchorage for emergency care; patients have
died due to inability to receive timely screening of cancer; patients must leave their
families for months at a time when receiving care 800 miles away in Anchorage.
Mothers must leave their families for 4 months to deliver their babies in Anchorage.
This is unacceptable care, by any standard. The replacement hospital facility would
directly serve the 5,000 year-round residents of Atka, Dutch Harbor, Nikolski and
Unalaska, in addition to the typically hundreds of seasonal fishery workers requiring immediate emergency or primary care. Having a hospital would eliminate the
need to send referrals to Anchorage at an average airfare cost of $1,400, not to mention the cost of lodging, meals and the personal hardship of having to leave the community for days at a time. Atka lies 350 miles away from Unalaska, so until its
clinic has sufficient capacity to meet local need, that population is at severe risk
due to its isolated, weather challenged location.
Based upon APIA budget estimates derived from the IHS Facility Budget Estimating System (FBES), the Unalaska hospital facility project cost for design, construction and equipping the total facility is $96,900,000. Based upon a 2003 Health
Clinic Design Report funded by the Denali Commission, construction of a health
clinic sufficient to meet the needs in Atka, and adjusting from 2003 for current inflation, will cost $3,500,000. APIA thus requests $100.4 million in funding for reconstruction of these facilities.
APIA is ranked near the top in the IHSs joint venture program, however we are
unable to move forward without identified construction resources. For facilities subject to the IHS joint venture program, construction must be accomplished with nonIHS money. The Restitution Act offers the best legislative framework for an appropriation from Congress. We recommend that the Restitution Act be amended to add
a new section 1989C4(b)(1)(D) to 50 U.S.C., to state as follows: (D) One account
for the construction, operation, and maintenance of an inpatient hospital facility in
Unalaska and health clinic in Atka with a direct appropriation of $100,400,000 for
those purposes. We ask for the subcommittees support of such an amendment and
the related appropriation of funds.
If we are to successfully receive this non-IHS construction project funding, the
joint venture program would allow APIA to enter into a no-cost lease with the IHS
for a period of 20 years; the IHS would in turn provide staff, equipment and supplies for the operations and maintenance of the facilities. The joint venture program
is a competitive program and funding is limited. According to the IHSs budget justification for fiscal year 2014, the IHS signed 17 agreements for joint ventures between 2001 and 2012, but received 55 positive responses to a solicitation for joint
ventures during the fiscal years 20102012 cycle. Yet, the IHS has indicated it does
not have adequate resources to fund even those programs ranked highest on its list
of joint venture projects, such as APIAs Unalaska Hospital. Tribes in Alaska support the IHS joint venture program as one of the best solutions to immediately address critical healthcare needs in our communities. The National Congress of American Indians has also supported APIAs request for assistance with both Unalaska
and Atka facility construction, via resolution. We ask that the subcommittee appropriate additional funds for staffing and operations of new facilities; doing so will
allow IHS to partner with tribes like APIA who are anxious to move their projects
forward under this successful joint venture model in fiscal year 2015.
Funding for Village Built Clinics in Alaska.For the last several years, APIA has
submitted testimony to this subcommittee on the need to address chronic underfunding of Village Built Clinics (VBCs) in Alaska. VBCs, which are clinic facilities
leased by the IHS from other entities, are a vital component of the provision of basic
healthcare services in rural Alaska, as they serve as the clinic space for the Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) under the IHCIA. The CHAP utilizes a network
of community health aides and practitioners to provide primary healthcare services
in rural and isolated areas where access to those services might not otherwise exist.
In 1989, Congress specifically authorized the operation of 170 VBCs in Alaska and
provided approximately $3 million in funding for the program for that year. Since

3
then, Congress has not provided amounts specifically for VBCs in the IHS appropriation, and IHS has had discretion to fund VBCs from its lump sum appropriation. IHS has needlessly treated the $3 million level as a cap, and has refused to
increase funding for VBC leases. Funding therefore has not kept pace with inflation
or the rising costs of healthcare in rural and isolated areas. In fact, the chronic
underfunding over decades has resulted in deterioration and in some cases closure
of VBC facilities, threatening the CHAP itself and access to basic healthcare services for rural Alaskans that hinges on the continued availability of properly maintained VBC space. Our facilities in Atka and Nikolski have been cited for numerous
patient Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and
safety issues including no patient privacy and holes in the floor. In any other community, these clinics would be condemned, yet the IHS expects us to continue to
provide care with no remedy at hand. It is no wonder that we have a difficult time
recruiting and retaining providers to serve our communities. Unfortunately, we are
not alone in our predicament.
According to an estimate calculated several years ago by the Alaska Native
Health Board and adjusted for inflation, at least $8.3 million is needed to fully fund
the VBC leasing program. However, that estimate is outdated and likely falls significantly short of the actual need. APIA therefore urges that Congress appropriate
at least an additional $8.5 million to fully fund VBC leases and that IHS be directed
to use its existing appropriations to fully fund such leases. It would be helpful if
Congress would also direct the IHS to use its fiscal year 2015 appropriations to fully
fund VBC leases in accordance with 804 of the IHCIA. It is a matter of patient
safety that this be addressed immediately.
Ensure Contract Support Costs Are a Mandatory Appropriation.We are pleased
that Congress chose to fully fund contract support costs (CSC) under the ISDEAA
in fiscal year 2014, and we are glad the administration has supported that effort
in fiscal year 2015. CSC fund vital administrative functions that allow us to operate
programs that provide critical services to our members. If contract support costs are
not fully funded, however, our programs and services are adversely affected because
we are forced to divert limited program funding to cover fixed overhead expenses
instead. We therefore appreciate Congress support in fiscal year 2014 and hope that
it carries through to fiscal year 2015 and beyond. However, full funding for CSC
must not come with a penaltytribes should not have to see a reduction in program
funding or effective permanent sequestration of Indian program funds. Without any
permanent measure to ensure full funding, payment of CSC remains subject to
agency discretion from year to year, even though tribes are legally entitled to payment under the ISDEAA. Noting these ongoing conflicts of law, Congress directed
the agencies to consult with tribes on a permanent solution.
There is a logical permanent solution Congress can implement: CSC should be appropriated as a mandatory entitlement. Under the ISDEAA, the full payment of
CSC is not discretionary; it is a legal obligation, affirmed by the U.S. Supreme
Court. Yet the budget for CSC is currently funded and controlled through appropriation actsas if it were a discretionary program. Congress, in the Joint Explanatory
Statement for the fiscal year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations, recognized that the
current fundamental mismatch between the mandatory nature of CSC and the current approach leaves the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in the
untenable position of appropriating discretionary funds for the payment of any legally obligated contract support costs. Congress also noted that [t]ypically obligations of this nature are addressed through mandatory spending. The obvious solution then is to bring the appropriations process in line with the statutory requirements and to recognize CSC for what it is: a mandatory entitlement, not a discretionary program. We therefore strongly urge the Congress to appropriate funding for
CSC on a mandatory basis.
IHS on an Advance Appropriations Basis.We support legislation that would
place the IHS budget on an advance appropriations basis. The goal is for the IHS
and tribal healthcare providers to have adequate advance notice of the amount of
Federal appropriations to expect and thus not be subjected to the uncertainties of
late funding and short-term continuing resolutions. Congress provides advance appropriations for the Veterans Administration medical accounts, and the request is
for parity in the appropriations schedule for the IHS. Legislation to authorize IHS
advance appropriations has been introducedH.R. 3229 by Representative Young
and S. 1570 by Senators Murkowski and Begich.
Thank you for your consideration of our request to support funding for the reconstruction of the Unalaska Hospital and Atka Island Clinic with associated staffing
and operating costs. Reconstruction of these facilities will right a huge wrong in our
history and will significantly improve healthcare for the Aleutian and Pribilof tribal
communities. We also appreciate your consideration of other requests outlined in

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this testimony. On behalf of APIA and the people we serve, I am happy to help provide any additional information desired by the subcommittee.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

ALLIANCE

FOR

COMMUNITY TREES

SUMMARY OF REQUESTS

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service:

Urban and Community Forestry (U&CF) Program at $31.3 million.
Forest and Rangeland Research at $298 million, including $72 million for Forest Inventory and Analysis.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
Recognize the Urban Waters Federal Partnership in funding for EPA clean
water initiatives
Dear Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee: My name is Dave Forsell
and I am the president of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, a non-profit organization
whose mission is to engage diverse communities and create vibrant public places,
helping people and nature thrive in our community, often helping people plant and
care for trees.
I am here today to testify on behalf of the Alliance for Community Trees
(ACTrees), for whom I serve as president of the board of directors. ACTrees is a
501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1993 by leaders of local tree organizations to establish a national voice for urban and community forestry. ACTrees
founders shared a vision of urban trees and ecosystems nurtured by a broad base
of community stewards. Through the efforts of 200 member and program partner
organizations in 44 States, over 5 million volunteers have been inspired to plant and
care for 15 million trees across our Nation, in cities and towns where 83 percent
of Americans live.
My testimony will focus on the critical role of the USDA Forest Service in providing Federal leadership for and assistance to public and private partners at the
national, State and local levels through its Urban & Community Forestry (U&CF)
program and urban forestry research.
WHY THE FOREST SERVICES U&CF PROGRAM AND URBAN FORESTRY RESEARCH ARE
IMPORTANT TO ACTREES

The Forest Services U&CF program and urban forestry research projects have
been models of working with each other through an integrated approach and
partnering with public and private organizations at the national, State and local
levels to provide information and tools that partners need to effectively plan and
implement urban forestry management programs. The integration between Forest
Service program staff and researchers has been essential to address the many issues
affecting urban trees and forests and the rapid pace of change in urban environments. In addition, the collaborative approaches of Forest Service program staff and
researchers have been critical to open and sharing relationships with partners and
adaptive learning and management.
ACTrees members have benefited from both the technical and financial assistance
provided by the U&CF program and the information and tools developed by urban
forestry researchers. Many of our members have worked directly with Forest Service
program staff and researchers on projects in their communities. Others have benefited from Forest Service resources provided through State forestry agenciesthe
U&CF programs primary partner. While some ACTrees members may not receive
assistance from the Forest Service or through State forestry agencies, all members
benefit from the urban forestry partnerships the Forest Service has helped create.
ACTrees members recognize the importance of broad partnerships to advance
common goals around urban trees and forests. Partnerships among public and private organizations enable sharing of expertise, skills, and resources. Such partnerships result in substantial leveraging of Federal funding provided to local urban and
community forestry projects. ACTrees members partner with a diverse range of
agencies and organizations at the local level. At the national level, ACTrees works
with public and private partners to advance urban and community forestry through
collaborative initiatives such as the Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition and the
Partners in Community Forestry conferences organized by the Arbor Day Foundation.
An open and collaborative U&CF program has enabled Federal, State and local
partners to develop a great diversity of projects around the country, recognizing the
wide range of ecosystem types and unique social, cultural and economic contexts in

5
communities across the Nation. Here are a few examples of projects on which
ACTrees member organizations have worked to add value to their communities
neighborhood value, environmental value, cost savings, employment and training.
Such stories are happening in cities and towns across America thanks to broad public-private partnerships in urban and community forestry:
Tree Pittsburgh received a grant from the USDA Forest Service in 2011,
through the States Bureau of Forestry, to create the citys first Urban Forest
Master Plan. It has leveraged the Federal grant and is developing the Plan,
which includes detailed information, resources needed, and recommendations to
proactively manage and grow a citys tree canopy.
The Tennessee Urban Forestry Council established a Greenprint initiative in
1991 to promote Federal, State and local partnerships toward a strategic goal
of doubling the States urban forest canopy. The initiative continues to build on
its vision and collaborative strategies.
The Sacramento Tree Foundation is engaged in cooperative research efforts
with the U.S. Forest Service and Californias forestry agency to explore the relationships between human health and tree canopy cover.
The Morton Arboretum near Chicago is cooperating with the USDA Forest Services National Institute of Applied Science on an Urban Forest Climate Adaptation project.
The California Urban Forest Council and California ReLeaf are working to advance urban forestry projects through the States climate change legislation and
policies, recently seeking $18 million in cap-and-trade funding for urban forestry projects in underserved communities.
Tree People in Los Angeles is advancing innovative projects to address drought
impacts on trees, such as using recycled water from treatment plants to water
trees in urban parks.
In Indianapolis, the power of community and urban forestry is very real! Due to
an EPA consent decree, our local water utility, Citizens Energy Group, is spending
more than $1 billion to eliminate all but 5 percent of raw sewage overflows into our
river and streams. My organization, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB), is
partnering with Citizens in a pilot program in a west side neighborhood. KIB will
be installing 34 beautiful stormwater planters up and down neighborhood streets as
part of a stormwater sewer separation project. Theyll be planted with 10,000 native
perennials and grasses, adding value to front yards; and 200 trees will be added to
the landscape for their power to mitigate stormwater runoff. This 100 percent green
solution will save Citizens considerable dollars compared to a standard gray solution. The best part? This work is supporting jobs and training for high school and
college students wholl plant and tend trees; theyll also have an opportunity to work
alongside engineers and ecological services professionals in the process.
WHY THE U&CF PROGRAM AND URBAN FORESTRY RESEARCH ARE CRITICAL TO THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

In recent years, policymakers and natural resource managers have been calling
attention to the increasing importance of urban areas as we look to the future. Our
Nations cities, towns, and metropolitan centers present critical challenges and opportunities as our population centers grow. The Forest Services U&CF program and
urban forestry research are uniquely positioned in the Federal Government to help
address urban challenges and opportunities as they relate to environmental and
natural resource issuesparticularly those related to the roles of urban trees and
forests as assets for: building and restoring green space and parks for recreation,
supporting opportunities for green businesses and jobs in underserved neighborhoods, and providing environmental services essential to community well-being and
quality of life, such as clean water, clean air, energy conservation, stormwater management, and atmospheric carbon exchange. No other Federal agency has the expertise and can provide the leadership necessary to help our Nation address urban
challenges and opportunities with trees and forests.
The Forest Service has recognized the U&CF program as the key program to help
achieve one of seven priority goals in its current strategic plan. Goal 6 is Engaging
Urban America with Forest Service Programs. Similarly, the Forest Service Research branch has identified Urban Natural Resources Research as one of seven Priority Research Areas. Looking to the futureas reflected in the agencys 2010 Resources Planning Act Assessment and 2010 National Report on Sustainable Forestsurban forests will become increasingly important for providing environmental
services to our Nations growing urban populations. In addition, as part of the
USDA, the Forest Services U&CF program is particularly well-positioned to help
address increasingly important urban-rural challenges, including the expansion of

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urban populations into rural landscapes and the lack of opportunities for urban
youth to connect to nature.
ACTREES RECOMMENDATIONS

Urban and Community Forestry (U&CF).There are more than 100 million acres
of urban forest lands across the Nation, providing essential environmental, social,
and economic services such as energy conservation, improved air and water quality,
recreation and improved public health to the more than 83 percent of our Nations
population who live in cities and communities. The Forest Services U&CF program
is the primary Federal program that reaches out and provides technical and financial assistance to local communities and non-profit groups for planting, maintaining,
protecting, and restoring these urban forests. In fiscal year 2013, the U&CF program delivered technical, financial, educational, and research assistance to 7,292
communities and nearly 198 million people, over 60 percent of the U.S. population.
ACTrees urges the subcommittee to provide $31.3 million for the U&CF program
in fiscal year 2015, consistent with the level enacted in fiscal year 2012. The Presidents fiscal year 2015 proposal for U&CF is $23.7 million, a further reduction from
the fiscal year 2014 enacted level of $28 million. While the Presidents fiscal year
2015 proposal holds promise for additional funding for urban and community forestry projects through the Forest Services new Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR)
program, ACTrees has much to learn about these opportunities. In addition,
ACTrees is excited about the Presidents proposal for a $1 billion Climate Resilience
Fund, which includes $25 million for the U&CF program to advance urban forestry
projects as measures to help communities adapt to and mitigate climate change impacts.
Urban Forestry Research.The Forest Service Research branch has provided essential information and tools to urban forestry groups and practitioners. It is critical
for communities to obtain baseline information about their urban forests before they
can plan and implement actions. There have been huge strides made in recent years
in developing new technologies and tools, such as the i-Tree program, for mapping
the urban forest and examining conditions and trends. Similarly, urban forestry research has been helping policymakers and practitioners to understand the environmental, economic, and social services that trees and forests provide.
ACTrees urges the subcommittee to provide funding for Forest and Rangeland Research at $298 million for fiscal year 2015. This reflects a funding level for basic
forest research at $226 million, consistent with fiscal year 2014, and funding for
Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) at $72 million. While there is no budget line
item for urban forestry research, the Forest Service has recognized Urban Natural
Resources Stewardship as one of its seven Priority Research Areas. We urge the
subcommittee to recognize the importance of urban forestry research and direct the
agency to provide strong funding in this area, as it did in its fiscal year 2014 report
language. With our request for $72 million for FIA, ACTrees has joined many partners in the conservation community recognizing the importance of inventory and assessment information in supporting forest policy and management decisions in all
contexts, including urban and community forests.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Urban Waters Federal Partnership.Launched in 2011, this Federal Partnership has expanded to 18 pilot cities
and includes 14 Federal agencies. EPA coordinates this important and innovative
Partnership through its Office of Water and the Forest Service participates on behalf of USDA, providing essential tree and forest expertise. The Partnership aims
to stimulate regional and local economies, create local jobs, improve quality of life,
and protect Americans health by revitalizing urban waterways in underserved communities across the Nation. ACTrees urges the subcommittee to recognize this important Federal Partnership through its fiscal year 2015 funding of EPA clean water
initiatives.
I appreciate your consideration, and the opportunity to testify today on behalf of
ACTrees.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

AMERICAN ALLIANCE

OF

MUSEUMS

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski and members of the subcommittee,

thank you for allowing me to submit this testimony in my capacity as president of
the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). We urge your support for at least $154.5
million each in fiscal year 2015 (fiscal year 2015) for the National Endowment for
the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). Within the
context of the NEA, we also urge the committee to include language revising the

7
Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act to increase the total allowable outstanding indemnity and the limit for any single exhibition. Lastly, we support $858 million for the
Smithsonian Institution, at least $50 million for State Historic Preservation Offices,
$15 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices and restored funding for the
Save Americas Treasures and Preserve America programs.
AAM is proud to represent the full range of our Nations museumsincluding
aquariums, art museums, botanic gardens, childrens museums, culturally specific
museums, historic sites, history museums, maritime museums, military museums,
national parks, natural history museums, planetariums, presidential libraries,
science and technology centers and zoosalong with the professional staff and volunteers who work for and with museums. AAM works on behalf of the 17,500 museums that employ 400,000 people, spend more than $2 billion annually on educational programming, receive more than 55 million visits each year from primary
and secondary school students and directly contribute $21 billion to local economies.
Museums are essential in our communities for many reasons:
Museums are key education providers.Museums already offer educational programs in math, science, art, literacy, language arts, history, civics and government, economics and financial literacy, geography and social studies, in coordination with State and local curriculum standards. Museums also provide experiential learning opportunities, STEM education, youth training and job preparedness. They reach beyond the scope of instructional programming for
schoolchildren by also providing critical teacher training. There is a growing
consensus that whatever the new educational era looks like, it will focus on the
development of a core set of skills: critical thinking, the ability to synthesize information, the ability to innovate, creativity and collaboration. Museums are
uniquely situated to help learners develop these core skills.
Museums create jobs and support local economies.Museums serve as economic
engines, bolster local infrastructure and spur tourism. Both the U.S. Conference
of Mayors and the National Governors Association agree that cultural assets
such as museums are essential to attracting businesses, a skilled workforce and
local and international tourism.
Museums address community challenges.Many museums offer programs tailored to seniors, veterans, children with special needs, persons with disabilities
and more, greatly expanding their reach and impact. For example, some have
programs designed specifically for children on the autism spectrum while others
are teaching English as a Second Language or providing youth job training opportunities.
Digitization and traveling exhibitions bring museum collections to underserved
populations.Teachers, students and researchers benefit when cultural institutions are able to increase access to trustworthy information through online collections and traveling exhibits. Most museums, however, need help in digitizing
collections.
The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent Federal agency
created by Congress in 1965. Grants are awarded to nonprofit educational institutionsincluding museums, colleges, universities, archives and librariesfor educational programming and the care of collections. NEH supports museums as institutions of learning and exploration and keepers of our cultural, historical and scientific heritages.
In 2013, through Preservation & Access, one of NEHs national program divisions,
55 peer-reviewed, competitive grants totaling over $3.7 million dollars were awarded
to museums, historical societies and historic sites for a variety of projects to preserve and provide access to our Nations rich cultural heritage. Across all NEH divisions (including Preservation and Access, Research, Education, Public Programs,
Challenge Grants and Digital Humanities), these institutions received 123 awards
totaling over $11.5 million. Demand for humanities project support, as demonstrated by NEH grant application rates, far exceeds available funding. In fiscal
year 2013, NEH received 4,701 competitive grant applications representing more
than $441 million in requested funds, but was only able to fund 13.4 percent of
these peer-reviewed project proposals.
NEH also provides annual grants to State humanities councils located in every
State and U.S. territory. In 2012, 53 State councils supported 3,046 events in museums, reaching a total audience of more than 13 million people.
Here are two examples of how NEH funding is used to support museums:
The Rhode Island Historical Society received $300,000 beginning in 2011 to
make environmental control upgrades, building improvements, and security enhancements to preserve collections documenting the history of Rhode Island
from pre-European contact to the present.

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The Birmingham Museum of Art in Alabama received a $75,000 grant for professional development, bringing K12 teachers together to study Americas transition from an agricultural to an industrial society as reflected in American art.
The National Endowment for the Arts provides direct Federal funding to State
arts agencies and to non-profit arts institutions including museums. Its mission is
to make art accessible to all and to provide leadership in arts education. Established
in 1965, NEA brings great art to every congressional district. Its grants to museums
help them exhibit, preserve and interpret visual material through exhibitions,
residencies, publications, commissions, public art works, conservation, documentation, services to the field and public programs.
In 2013, more than 2,100 museums participated in the Blue Star Museums initiative, offering free admission to all active duty and reserve personnel and their families from Memorial Day through Labor Day. This particular effort served over
700,000 people, while many other museums offered military discounts or free admission throughout the year.
In 2013, NEA made more than 130 awards to museums, totaling over $4.6 million. Many museumsincluding art museumscontinue to report economic stress
and stretched budgets. Despite the uncertain economy, museum attendance continues to climb, increasing pressure to serve more people with limited financial and
human resources.
Receiving a grant from the NEA confers prestige on supported projects, strengthening museums ability to attract matching funds from other public and private
funders. On average, each dollar awarded by the NEA leverages nine dollars from
other sources. Forty percent of NEAs grant funds are distributed to State arts agencies for re-granting.
Here are two examples of how NEA funding is used to support museums:
Alaskas Seward Association for the Advancement of Marine Science, in consortium with the Anchorage Museums Association received $39,000 in 2012 to support the research and development of an exhibition teaming artists and scientists to bring greater public attention to the global problem of marine debris.
The Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore, Maryland received $34,000 in 2012 to
support an exhibition showing the unexpected and multifaceted roles played by
Africans in Renaissance Europe, as well as the challenges of stereotyping and
racism that faced them.
The Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act allows museums to apply for Federal indemnity on major exhibitions, saving them roughly $30 million in insurance costs
every year. The program, administered by the National Endowment for the Arts, operates at virtually no cost to the taxpayer; since 1975 it has paid out a total of just
over $100,000. Strict protocols for care, restrictions on the types of work indemnified
and high deductibles all contribute to these extraordinarily low costs.
The program has separate limits per exhibition and an overall limit for both international and domestic exhibitions, and Congress has periodically raised these limits,
most recently in 2007. Museums report that the current caps are making it difficult
to obtain indemnity on objects that would have been covered in the past, exposing
them to increased insurance costs. We believe that rising prices in the art market
will exacerbate this problem, causing exhibitions to limit their scope or to fail to go
forward entirely. In agreement with the Association of Art Museum Directors, we
urge the committee to consider language increasing both the total allowable outstanding indemnity and the limit for any single exhibition under this important program.
The Smithsonian Institution comprises some of the most visited museums in the
world, including the National Museum of American History, the National Air and
Space Museum and the National Museum of Natural History. The Smithsonian
reaches out to visitors and learners of all ages, in the Nations capital and across
the country, with innovative exhibits and programs. Smithsonian museums attract
30 million visits every year, and their content and curricula are used by teachers
all over the country. Smithsonian exhibits and research cover vital topics in art,
science, history and culture, including global pandemics, endangered species and the
history of our Nation. The use of digital technology including 3D scanning and
printing of iconic objects such as Lincolns life casts, the Wright Flyer and fossil
whales, expands access for America and Americas teachers to experts and collections and creates new knowledge. The Presidents fiscal year 2015 budget request
of $858 million includes critical funding for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, which will tell this essential part of American history.
Funding for collections care and facilities maintenance and revitalization allows the
Smithsonian to care for the Nations treasures and allows greater access for all.
We enthusiastically support this robust funding proposal, an increase, for the
Smithsonian Institution. However, we have serious concerns about the Presidents

9
proposed STEM consolidation plan, which would eliminate or cut important programs that support museums at the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs and THPOs) carry out the
historic preservation work of the Federal Government on State and tribal lands.
These duties include finding Americas historic places, making nominations to the
National Register of Historic Places, reviewing impacts of Federal projects, providing assistance to developers seeking a rehabilitation tax credit, creating alliances
with local government preservation commissions and conducting preservation education and planning. This Federal-State-local foundation of Americas historic preservation program was established by the National Historic Preservation Act. We
urge you to provide $50 million for SHPOs and $15 million for THPOs through the
Historic Preservation Fund. We also urge you to restore funding of $25 million for
Save Americas Treasures and $4.6 million for Preserve Americawhich have been
instrumental in preserving some of our Nations most important artifacts and structuresbut have not been funded in recent years.
The 2005 Heritage Health Index of archives, libraries, historical societies and museums concluded that immediate action is needed to prevent the loss of 190 million
artifacts that are in need of conservation treatment: 59 percent have collections
damaged by light; 56 percent have insufficient security to protect their collections;
80 percent do not have an emergency plan that includes collections; 71 percent need
additional training and expertise for staff caring for collections; and only 13 percent
have access to endowment funds for preservation.
Historic preservation programs matter now more than evernot only because
they are essential to protecting our national heritage, but because they serve as economic engines and job creators in the thousands of communities they serve. Funds
invested in building rehabilitation have been shown to create more jobs and more
retail activity than those spent on new construction.
Thank you once again for considering this testimony.
FORD W. BELL, DVM,
President.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

AMERICAN CULTURAL RESOURCES ASSOCIATION

(ACRA)

Request:
$46.925 million for State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs)
$8.985 million for the Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs)
$500,000 for grants for survey and National Register/National Landmark nominations for underrepresented populations
These programs are funded through withdrawals from the U.S. Department of the
Interiors National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) (16 U.S.C.
470h).
ACRA MEMBERS CREATE JOBS AND SUPPORT THE ECONOMY

ACRA is the trade association representing the interests of cultural resource management (CRM) firms of all sizes, types and specialties. ACRAs member firms undertake much of the legally mandated cultural resource management studies and
investigations in the United States.
There are approximately 1,300 CRM firms nationwide that employ over 10,000
cultural resource management professionals, including archaeologists, preservation
architects, architectural historians, historians, and an increasingly diverse group of
other specialists. These firms generated over $1 billion in revenue in 2012. ACRA
firms create and support jobs, providing employment for American-educated and
trained professionals.
FUNDING SHPOs AND THPOs SUPPORTS DEVELOPMENT

In 1966, Congress, recognizing the importance of our heritage, enacted the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470) (NHPA), which established historic
preservation as a Federal Government priority. Historic preservation recognizes
that what was common and ordinary in the past is often rare and precious today,
and what is common and ordinary today may be extraordinary in the future.
Instead of using Federal employees to carry out the Act, the Department of Interior and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation opted to partner with the
States and use SHPOs and THPOs to, among other tasks, review all Federal

10
projects for their impact on historic properties. CRM firms work closely with Federal, State and local government agencies, private industry and non-profit groups
to conduct the reviews required by the NHPA.
In order for the review process to work smoothly, SHPOs and THPOs must have
adequate funding. Proper financial support for their work allows SHPOs and
THPOs to review and approve projects in a timely basis, facilitating development,
moving projects forward in a timely and efficient manner, and ensuring that CRM
firms can get the job done.
CONCLUSION

On behalf of its 150 member firms, ACRA would like to thank you Chairman
Reed, and all the members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior,
Environment and Related Agencies for the opportunity to submit testimony.
ACRA also thanks the subcommittee for its commitment to historic preservation.
ACRA members stand committed to identify, protect, and maintain our Nations historic heritage.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

AMERICAN FOREST & PAPER ASSOCIATION

Hon. JACK REED,

U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI,
U.S. Senate,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Murkowski: The American Forest &
Paper Association (AF&PA) serves to advance a sustainable U.S. pulp, paper, packaging, and wood products manufacturing industry through fact-based public policy
and marketplace advocacy. AF&PA member companies make products essential for
everyday life from renewable and recyclable resources and are committed to continuous improvement through the industrys sustainability initiativeBetter Practices, Better Planet 2020. The forest products industry accounts for approximately
4 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing GDP, manufactures approximately $210
billion in products annually, and employs nearly 900,000 men and women. The industry meets a payroll of approximately $50 billion annually and is among the top
10 manufacturing sector employers in 47 States.
Actions are needed to increase funding for programs that provide basic data about
our Nations forests to inform industry, policymakers, and academics; and for restoring Federal timber harvests to help ensure adequate fiber supply and to address forest health priorities on both Federal and private lands. Within the jurisdiction of
this subcommittee, we urge you to direct the United States Forest Service (USFS)
to focus on the needs of the forest products industry and the vital jobs it supports.
Specific recommendations follow.
FOREST AND RANGELAND RESEARCH

Forest Inventory and Analysis.Targeted research and data collection is needed

to monitor forest productivity, forest health, and economic utilization of fiber. The
Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program within USFS Research and Development (R&D) is the backbone of our knowledge about the Nations forests, and it is
a vital technical resource that allows assessment of the sustainability, health, and
availability of the forest resource. FIA data is utilized by a large swath of stakeholders interested in the state of Americas forests: forest resource managers at
mills, land managers, conservation groups, and State and Federal agencies look to
the program for data about our Nations forests.
We are concerned about the cuts to this program over recent years. With an increased focus on utilizing woody biomass for renewable energy in addition to traditional forest products, the program, which allows managers to determine the sustainability and availability of the forest resource, should not be reduced but rather
increased.
AF&PA opposes cuts to this valuable program, and applauds the subcommittees
increase last year to $72 million. As a good starting point, AF&PA requests funding
levels of at least $72 million for the FIA program this year, which will allow the
USFS to cover the majority of U.S. forest lands and expedite data availability and
analysis. This level of funding will enable the USFS to better meet the current demands of the program.

11
We also recommend increased funding within the USFS R&D program in support
of the Agenda 2020 Technology Alliance. Working in partnership with universities
and the private sector, the Agenda 2020 program works with USFS on research to
develop and deploy wood production systems that are ecologically sustainable, socially acceptable, and economically viable to enhance forest conservation and the
global competitiveness of forest product manufacturing and biorefinery operations in
the United States. In particular, we encourage greater funding for research on forest
productivity and utilization at the Forest Products Lab and Research Stations. Innovative wood and fiber utilization research, including nanotechnology research, contributes to conservation and productivity of the forest resource. The development of
new forest products and important research on the efficient use of wood fiber directly address forest health problems through exploration of small diameter wood
use and bioenergy production.
NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM, FOREST PRODUCTS

We applaud the administration for calling for an increase in timber outputs by

15 percent. To create forest industry jobs, more Federal timber should be made
available for sale. AF&PA requests increasing funding for the Forest Products program to put people back to work in our rural communities while improving the
health and reducing the risk of forest fires.
For the 6th year in a row, the administration has proposed creating the consolidated Integrated Resource Restoration (IRR) line item, with proposed funding of
$820 million. AF&PA does not believe IRR will have the benefits the administration
claims, and in those regions where IRR has been implemented as a pilot project,
instead of benefits, we have seen continued high costs and less accountability for
the use of those funds by the USFS.
NATIONAL FOREST SYSTEM, HAZARDOUS FUELS REDUCTION

AF&PA supports the budget cap exception recommended in the Presidents budget
that mirrors H.R. 3992, the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act. In the past 2 years, the
USFS was forced to redirect over $1 billion from non-fire programs to pay fire suppression costs. The continued cycle of borrowing has a hugely detrimental effect on
other programs, including forest management and research, damaging the ability to
effectively implement these programs. This new approach to funding fire suppression costs is promising and we urge the subcommittee to include the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act this year.
Hazardous fuels reduction is essential to the Federal forest health restoration effort and AF&PA supports maintaining this vital program at the fiscal year 2011
level ($339 million). We also urge the subcommittee to instruct the USFS to implement these projects in forested stands using mechanical treatments that produce
merchantable wood fiber for utilization by local mills. Prescribed burns and debris
removal will not solve the hazardous fuel overload by themselves. The forest products industry can and does play a key role in reducing hazardous fuels from Federal
lands as evidenced by the fact that mechanical hazardous fuel reduction costs frequently are significantly lower in regions with a substantial forest products industry
presence. The agency must take advantage of these synergies.
STATE AND PRIVATE FORESTRY

AF&PA applauds the subcommittees sustained support for USFS State and Private Forestry programs. With ongoing droughts, invasive species infestations, and
significant forest health problems, private forest resources remain vulnerable to
damage from threats that do not respect public/private boundary lines.
As you know, private forests provide the bulk of the Nations wood fiber supply,
while providing millions of acres of wildlife habitat, and supplying clean drinking
water for millions of Americans. USFS State and Private Forestry programs protect
these resources from threats beyond the capability of small landowners to combat
effectively. Therefore, we urge funding at no less than their fiscal year 2012 enacted
levels of $86 million for State Fire Assistance and $29 million for Forest Stewardship.
INTERNATIONAL FORESTRY

AF&PAs believes that full and effective implementation and enforcement of the
2008 Lacey Act amendments will reduce the destructive effects of illegal logging on
tropical forests, enable American forest product companies to compete on a level
playing field, and contribute to cutting of global greenhouse gas emissions through
reduced deforestation and sustainable forest management practices. A 2004 AF&PA

12
report on illegal logging found that up to 10 percent of global timber production
could be of suspicious origin and that illegal logging depresses world prices for legally harvested wood by 7 to 16 percent on average. The report also calculated that
the economic cost of global illegal logging to the U.S. industry is approximately $1
billion per year in lost exports and depressed domestic prices.
The USFS International Forestry program lends critical technical assistance for
Lacey Act implementation and to improve sustainable forest management practices
in developing countries, which helps reduce illegal logging overseas. AF&PA believes cuts to the International Forestry accounts could be detrimental to full Lacey
Act compliance and enforcement efforts, and advocates funding the International
Forestry program at fiscal year 2012 levels ($8 million).
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

AMERICAN FOREST FOUNDATION

Investments in the U.S. Forest Service Forest Stewardship Program and the U.S.
Forest Service Forest Health Protection Program will help family forest owners get
ahead of increasing threats from invasive pests and pathogens, wildfire, and development pressures. Complementing these efforts, the Landscape Scale Restoration
Program provides an innovative approach to target resources for maximum impact,
meaning support for this program will ensure measurable outcomes on the ground.
It is also critical that funding for U.S. Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis
and overall Forest Service Research and Development programs are improved and
maintained, so these programs continue to provide the information and technical resources for landowners to make informed decisions about Americas forests. The
American Forest Foundation (AFF) urges the subcommittee to:
Support the U.S. Forest Service Forest Stewardship Program at the fiscal year
12 funding level of $29 million;
Support the U.S. Forest Service Forest Health Protection (Federal and Cooperative) at the fiscal year 12 funding level of $111 million;
Support the Presidents funding request of $23.513 million for the Landscape
Scale Restoration Program;
Support the Forest Inventory and Analysis Program at $72 million, toward providing an updated inventory of Americas forests; and
Support the U.S. Forest Service Research and Development Program at the fiscal year 12 funding level of $231 million.
We also ask the subcommittee to support a solution to the wildfire funding problem. The mounting cost of wildfire suppression activities over the past few years
have far suppressed budgeted appropriations, forcing the U.S. Forest Service to
transfer hundreds of millions of dollars from non-fire accounts to pay for suppression. This halts other mission-critical forest health and stewardship activities from
taking place, all of which work toward preventing the future threat of catastrophic
fire.
Investments in forestry programs will help strengthen rural communities, support
rural jobs, and ensure that communities that rely on the clean water and air, wildlife habitat, and forest products from family-owned forests, dont face additional
costs for these goods and services.
Unfortunately, new data suggests that by 2020, more than 18 million acres of
family forests are threatened by housing development. Furthermore, almost 14 million acres are at risk of mortality due to insects and disease, while 29 million are
at high or very high risk of destruction from wildfire.1 At the same time, less than
15 percent of family forest owners have sought professional advice for the stewardship of their forests. Many are under the impression that leaving their woods alone
is the best option. It is therefore essential we ensure these families have tools, technical information, and policy support to keep their forests as forests, for current and
future generations.
The American Forest Foundation is a nonprofit conservation organization that
works on the ground with more than 22 million family woodland owners through
a variety of programs, including the American Tree Farm System, to protect the
values and benefits of Americas family forests, with clear ecological and economic
impact.
Families and individuals steward more of Americas forests than the Federal Government or corporations. Families and individuals own 35 percent of our Nations
forests.2 These private forests provide myriad public benefitsclean air, clean
1 Family
2 USDA,

Forest Research Center, 2014 Preliminary Data.

May 2008, Who Owns Americas Forests?

13
water, recreation, renewable resources that build our homes and communities, and
good-paying rural jobs.
FOREST HEALTH INVESTMENTS NEEDED

The threats are daunting. Close to 500 species of tree-damaging pests from other
countries have become established in the country, and a new one is introduced, on
average, every 2 to 3 years. The USFS Forest Health Protection (FHP) Program is
a critical resource supporting efforts to prevent, contain, and eradicate dangerous
pests and pathogens affecting trees and forests. The program provides critical assistance to other Federal agencies, State agencies, local agencies and private landowners.
In fiscal year 2013, the FHP Program combated pests on over 285,000 acres of
Federal lands and over 444,000 acres of Cooperative lands. Funding cuts meant
321,000 fewer acres were treated on Cooperative lands in fiscal year 2013 than in
fiscal year 2011. Any further cuts to this program will necessitate deeper reductions
in support for communities already facing outbreaks and expose more of the Nations family-owned forests to the devastating and costly effects of the Asian
Longhorned Beetle, Emerald Ash Borer, Hemlock Wooly Adelgid, Thousand Cankers
Disease, Western Bark Beetle and other pests.
INVEST IN A MORE FOCUSED, IMPACTFUL FOREST STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM

Over the last few years, there have been significant cut backs in outreach and
technical assistance provided to woodland owners, as agency budgets have shrunk,
and industry has cut back or eliminated their outreach foresters. This greatly concerns woodland owners across the country, who rely on programs like the Forest
Stewardship Program and State forest agency service foresters. The Forest Stewardship Program has been the backbone of the American Tree Farm System, providing
the support to woodland owners to ensure they have management plans for certification and can subsequently access certified wood product markets.
These cuts are also of great concern because of the growing number of
unengaged woodland ownersthose 95 percent of woodland owners who are not
actively managing their land, and therefore have forests that are more susceptible
to the threats mentioned above.
To address some of this loss, AFF is currently piloting, together with several State
forest agencies, conservation groups, and industry partners, a number of innovative
landowner outreach tools, using micro-targeting and social marketing strategies, to
more efficiently and effectively engage unengaged woodland owners. To date, weve
seen a 12 percent response rate, compared with a 34 percent response rate that
forest agencies, extension agents, and organizations typically see.
Tools like these, combined with a more focused Forest Stewardship Program that
concentrates on landowner outreach and assistance in priority areas like those identified in each States Forest Action Plan, have significant potential to leverage the
Forest Stewardship Program further and lead to even greater impact on the ground.
SUPPORT THE LANDSCAPE SCALE RESTORATION PROGRAM, TARGETING OUTCOMES IN
CRITICAL AREAS

To complement the ongoing work of the Forest Stewardship Program and further
target measurable outcomes in high-priority areas, AFF strongly urges the subcommittee to provide support for the relatively new Landscape Scale Restoration
program.
Partners, such as the American Forest Foundation, can leverage the work of this
State and Private Forestry Program to maximize on-the-ground impact and engage
landowners in targeted forest conservation activities. With this program, the USFS
is well-positioned to address the most pressing threats, protect the many public benefits we all enjoy from forests, and leverage Federal efforts for meaningful, measurable impact.
MAINTAINING ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR FOREST MANAGEMENT OF FAMILY-OWNED
WOODLANDS

All of these programs must be grounded in the sound science and sound forest
information provided by the U.S. Forest Services Forest Inventory and Analysis
(FIA) Program and the Research and Development Programs (R&D). These programs provide irreplaceable data about our forests and give landowners the tools
to know how to manage the growing threats they face.
As our Nations forest census, the FIA program provides critical updates on forest
health and market trendsbetter equipping forest owners nationwide to mitigate

14
the impact of impending threats and concerns. FIA also provides a census of the
trends in family forest ownership, demographics, and trends, so we can better understand how to work with this significant ownership group, most of whom, as mentioned above are unengaged in active forest management.
In particular, the USFS Research and Development Program provides the science
to help manage invasive species in urban and rural forests. AFF believes it is vitally
important to conduct research aimed at improving detection and control methods for
the Emerald Ash Borer, Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Sudden Oak Death, Thousand
Cankers Disease, Gold-spotted Oak Borer and other non-native forests pests and
diseases.
The R&D function is not only essential for providing forest management research,
it is also on the leading edge of providing new information about the use of wood
products, which can help create new markets for products from family-owned woodlands. This information helps position wood in growing markets, like green building
markets, where understanding the environmental impacts of building materials is
key. We urge the subcommittee to call on R&D to invest an additional $3 million
in green building research through the Forest Products Laboratory to continue this
important work.
SUPPORT A SOLUTION TO THE WILDFIRE FUNDING PROBLEM

Over the last decade, wildfire expenses have significantly increased, and the Federal wildfire budgets often are not sufficient to cover the costs, leading the Federal
agencies to transfer funds from non-fire accounts to cover fire fighting expenses. In
fiscal year 12, the USFS transferred $440 million and in fiscal year 13 the transfer
cost was upped to $600 million. Understandably, this has caused significant disruptions in forest programs, including programs like the Forest Stewardship and Forest
Health Protection Programs that aide family woodland owners in their stewardship.
These disruptions clearly demonstrate the urgent need to change the Federal suppression funding model. This pattern of funding is neither efficient nor sustainable.
The Wildfire Disaster Funding bill (S. 1875 and H.R. 3992) would provide the USFS
and Department of the Interior with a funding structure similar to that used by
other agencies that respond to natural disaster emergencies, which have budget cap
exemptions for a portion of disaster funding. This important change would enable
agencies to reinvest in core activities which have been reduced in recent years due
to a continued shift of limited resources to fund wildfire suppression, including the
very programs that would help to decrease wildfire costs over time. We urge the
subcommittee to support the Wildfire Disaster Funding bill solution.
To conclude, AFF recognizes the subcommittee must find areas to reduce spending. We ask the subcommittee to consider the impact these reductions will have on
the countrys nearly 22 million family forest owners and every American who benefits daily from the positive externalities of well-managed, working forests.
I thank the subcommittee for the opportunity to provide some insight on these
programs and appreciate consideration of my testimony.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

AMERICAN FORESTS

Dear Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, and honorable members of

the subcommittee: American Forests appreciates the opportunity to submit public
testimony regarding our fiscal year 2015 appropriation recommendations. We understand the continuing economic realities facing the Nation, and we thank this subcommittee for its support of key Federal conservation programs in the Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2014. The return on investing in our Nations forests is great,
whether those forests are public or private, urban or rural. The economic, social,
and environmental benefits healthy forests provide are clear incentives for Federal
investment. American Forests funding recommendations are generally consistent
with the Presidents budget requests for the USDA Forest Service (USFS), Department of Interior (DOI), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), with the
exception of programs that merit a return to the fiscal year 2012 enacted levels.
Founded in 1875, American Forests is the oldest national nonprofit conservation
organization in the country with the mission to protect and restore forests. It has
served as a catalyst for many of the most important milestones in the conservation
movement, including the founding of the USDA Forest Service, the Conservation
Corps, the National Park System, and thousands of forest ecosystem restoration
projects and public education efforts. Since 1990, American Forests has planted
more than 46 million trees in all 50 States of U.S. and 44 countries, resulting in
cleaner air and drinking water, restored habitat for wildlife and fish, and the removal of millions of tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

15
The economic benefits of outdoor recreation and natural resource conservation
highlight the importance of American Forests efforts. A recently published report
found that the combined value of outdoor recreation and natural resource conservation annually generates at least $1.7 trillion in economic activity, supports 12.8 million jobs, and brings in $211 billion in tax revenue.1 As the report notes, this sector
of the U.S. economy is larger than the U.S. auto and pharmaceutical industries combined. Protecting and restoring our forests will ensure on-going economic and environmental viability for our communities.
USDA FOREST SERVICE

National Forest System

Integrated Resource Restoration.The administrations proposal for an Integrated
Resource Restoration (IRR) budget consolidation represents the USFSs approach to
accelerated restoration. American Forests believes that the administrations proposals for fiscal year 2015 will help move the agency in the right direction by encouraging collaborative efforts with communities and partners to identify and address priorities at a landscape or watershed scale. American Forests supports the
Presidents request of $820 million to aid in the restoration of our Nations forests.
Restoration Partnerships.For more than two decades, American Forests has
worked with the Forest Service restoring our national forests after a wildfire or
other natural events. We have planted millions of trees in our national forests and
appreciate the working relationship we have with USFS, which helps us provide
these services. Currently, this line item is absorbed into the IRR budget reorganization. However, if this committee does not support that budget consolidation, we
want to emphasize the importance of these efforts. American Forests supports the
fiscal year 2015 level of $2 million in support of partnerships that restore our National Forests.
Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP).This program
was created to promote job stability, reliable wood supply, forest health, and reduce
emergency wildfire costs and risks. In the first 4 years of the program, projects
funded through CFLRP have: reduced hazardous fuels on 588,000 acres to protect
communities, generated 814 million board feet of timber, made nearly 2 million
green tons of biomass available for bioenergy production, and enhanced habitat on
474 miles of streams. American Forests supports the Presidents fiscal year 2015 request of $60 million; predicated on the expansion of the program through the necessary legislative action.
Forest and Rangeland Research
The Forest and Rangeland Research appropriations provides funds to develop and
deliver knowledge and innovative technology to improve the health and use of the
Nations forests in both public and private lands. In the last 20 years, the number
of USFS research scientists has declined from more than 2,000 to under 500 scientists today. This significantly reduces the Forest Services ability to provide the
answers it needs to sustainably manage the National Forests, as well as deliver
technical assistance to private forest owners and urban forest managers. American
Forests requests the fiscal year 2012-enacted level of $295.3 million for the entirety
of Forest and Rangeland Research.
State and Private Forestry
Urban and Community Forestry (U&CF).Urban forests make a significant contribution to the quality of life in communities across the country. In 2013, the
U&CF program delivered technical, financial, educational, and research assistance
to 7,292 communities and nearly 198 million people, more than 60 percent of the
U.S. population. Urban forests are integral to any community striving to reinvest
in itself, encourage active, healthy citizens, and create a healthier and more sustainable environment with smart green infrastructure. American Forests requests the
fiscal year 2012-enacted levels for the Urban and Community Forestry program at
$31.37 million.
Forest Health Management.Exotic pests and invasive species are among the
greatest threats to urban and rural forests. Non-native pests already cost city governments $2 billion each year to remove and replace trees killed by pests. The substantial loss of trees in our communities impacts quality of life and property values.
Funding for the Forest Health Program supports activities related to prevention,
suppression, and eradication of insects, diseases, and plants, as well as conducting
1 Southwick Associates, The Combined Value of Outdoor Recreation, Natural Resource Conservation, and Historical Preservation, 2013, April 8, 2013.

16
forest health monitoring. American Forests supports the Presidents combined fiscal
year 2015 request for the Forest Health Management Program on Federal and cooperative lands at $104.57 million.
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

Public Domain Forest Management.The BLM is entrusted with the management
and ecosystem health and recovery of 58 million acres of forests and woodlands
across 12 western States, including Alaska. According to the Department of the Interiors 2012 Economic Impact Report, timber harvested from Public Domain forests
supported $659 million in economic activity, and biomass from BLM forests has become part of the feedstock that meets various State and Federal renewable energy
portfolio standards. However, 14 million acresor 24 percentof BLM forests are
overstocked at increased risk of insect and disease attacks and catastrophic wildfire.
Increased funding to address these serious risks is necessary across all land management agencies. American Forests supports the Presidents fiscal year 2015 request at $9.93 million.
Fish and Wildlife Service
Endangered Species Program.For 40 years, the Endangered Species Act has
helped prevent the extinction of our Nations treasured wildlife and plant species,
many of which thrive in forested habitat. While the Act has made significant strides
in protecting our most imperiled species, there are still major shortfalls. Numerous
species in need of protection, including the whitebark pine, are precluded from the
list because of the lack of adequate resources. American Forests supports the Presidents fiscal year 2015 request of $170.51 million.
National Wildlife Refuge System.The Refuge System, with 561 refuges of more
than 150 million acres across the country, is vital to protecting Americas wildlife
and ensuring that these habitats are a priority. Because refuges are visited by approximately 45 million people each year and generate more than $4.2 billion in economic output and more than 34,000 jobs in recreation spending,2 investment in the
Refuge system is an investment in our communities. While it is well documented
that an annual operations and maintenance budget should total at least $900 million,3 American Forests supports the Presidents fiscal year 2015 request for $476.40
million.
National Park Service (NPS)
National Park System.American Forests was instrumental nearly 100 years ago
in the creation of our national parks and continues to this day supporting the service that stewards these iconic landscapes. However, many of these forested parks
are threatened by a series of stresses. Invasive species and uncontrolled outbreaks
of pests have left these forested treasures vulnerable. American Forests is dedicated
to aiding in the restoration of these parks, especially those in the intermountain
west affected by the mountain pine bark beetle. As such, American Forests supports
the Presidents fiscal year 2015 total budget request of $2.28 billion.
Urban Parks Recreation and Recovery.The reestablishment of this program, proposed to be funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, is essential to
bring nature to urban communities. These competitive grants focus on engaging and
connecting communities, especially young people, to their neighborhood parks
through projects that would revitalize and rehabilitate park and recreation opportunities. As a leader in the urban forestry field, American Forests applauds the renewed efforts of the NPS and the Department of Interior to improve park units that
will impact urban economies and the quality of life for urban residents by creating
open green space. American Forests supports the Presidents fiscal year 2015 request of $25 million.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Urban and rural forests offer fiscally-sound green solutions to the management
of stormwater, water storage, groundwater recharge, and pollutant reduction.
Green Infrastructure and Clean Water.American Forests supports the EPAs
goal of strengthening green infrastructure activities to further sustainability goals,
particularly in urban, underserved and economically distressed communities by in2 The Department of the Interiors Economic Contributions fiscal year 2011 report, p.21; 2006
Banking on Nature report.
3 Restoring Americas Wildlife Refuges 2011: Assets for All Americans, Cooperative Alliance
for Refuge Enhancement.

17
corporating green infrastructure and enhancing stormwater management. American
Forests also strongly supports efforts to expand the use of green infrastructure to
meet Clean Water Act goals, however we would like to see the targeting of 20 percent of the Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF) increased to include a variety of green infrastructure projects. American Forests supports the Presidents fiscal year 2015 request of $5 million to strengthen green infrastructure activities, and
the fiscal year 2014 enacted level of $1.449 billion for CWSRF.
Urban Waters Federal Partnership.This 13 interagency effort, coordinated by
the EPA, helps stimulate local economies, create jobs, improve quality of life, and
protect health by revitalizing urban waterways, the urban forests that protect them
and the communities around them, focusing on underserved urban communities of
all sizes. American Forests supports the Presidents fiscal year 2015 request of $3.49
billion for supporting EPAs goal of protecting Americas Waters, where this program sits within the EPA.
LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE REQUEST

Wildfire Suppression Funding

Funding wildfire suppression has been an ongoing struggle for the Forest Service
and the Department of Interior. As the wildfires become more frequent and more
severe, which they are projected to become, a new solution to how the Agencies fund
suppression needs to occur. American Forests respectfully requests the subcommittee address the wildfire suppression funding issue by including language
from the bipartisan Wildfire Disaster Funding Act (WDFAH.R. 3992; S. 1875) in
the fiscal year 2015 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations
bill. This language provides the structure to fund a portion of the USFS and DOI
wildfire suppression costs through a budget cap adjustment under the Balanced
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended. This would provide
the USFS and DOI with a funding structure similar to that used by other agencies
who respond to natural disaster emergencies.
Land and Water Conservation Fund
American Forests supports the permanent authorization of full and dedicated
funding, without further appropriation or fiscal year limitation for the Land and
Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). LWCF programs protect natural resource lands,
outdoor recreation opportunities and working forests at the local, State and Federal
levels, ensuring these important lands are protected for current and future generations. American Forests supports the fiscal year 15 budget request which calls for
permanent authorization of $900 million in mandatory funding for LWCF programs
in the Departments of Interior and Agriculture beginning in 2016. During the transition to permanent funding in 2015, the budget proposes $350 million in discretionary and $550 million in permanent funding, shared by the Departments of Interior and Agriculture. This includes level discretionary funding for State Assistance
grants at $48.1 million, which includes $3 million for Competitive Grants.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

AMERICAN GEOSCIENCES INSTITUTE

Thank you for this opportunity to provide the American Geosciences Institutes
(AGI) perspective on fiscal year 2015 appropriations for geoscience programs within
the subcommittees jurisdiction. We ask the subcommittee to support and sustain
the critical geoscience work of the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the National Park Service, and the Smithsonian Institution. Specifically, we ask support
for the Presidents request for $1.074 billion for USGS but we request a more balanced distribution for these funds within USGS, $225 million for the National Park
Services Natural Resource Stewardship and Everglades Restoration activities, and
$850 million for the Smithsonian Institution.
The Earth provides the energy, mineral, water, and soil resources that are essential for a thriving economy, national security, and a healthy population and environment. We emphasize the importance of understanding the Earth system, and particularly Earths subsurface, in order to sustain human health and safety, energy
and water supplies, and the quality of the environment, while reducing risks from
natural hazards. The USGS is the Nations only natural resource science agency
that can provide the objective data, observations, analyses, assessments, and scientific solutions to intersecting Earth-focused issues.
AGI is a nonprofit federation of about 50 geoscientific and professional associations that represent approximately 250,000 geologists, geophysicists, and other
Earth scientists who work in industry, academia, and government. Founded in 1948,
AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared inter-

18
ests in our profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and
strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in societys
use of resources, resilience to natural hazards, and the health of the environment.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

AGI supports the Presidents request for $1.704 billion for USGS. We respectfully
suggest that Congress should consider a balanced distribution of funds within USGS
to allocate more resources to geoscience functions, for which USGS has unique national expertise and responsibilities.
Need for balanced investment.Planet Earth strongly influences human safety,
the economy, and peoples quality of life. Earthquake, volcanic, and landslide hazards; the Earths groundwater, mineral, geothermal energy, and fossil fuel resource
potential; and the Earths potential for waste disposal all relate to the subsurface.
The USGS Organic Act recognizes the importance of understanding the geological
structure of the country and unequivocally vests responsibility and authority for this
in USGS.
Table 1 highlights those Mission Areas and Accounts that are being cut relative
to the overall USGS budget, and we note that they contain the majority of USGSs
geoscience functions. We respectfully ask Congress to recognize the importance of
geoscience to the Nations safety, economy, defense, and quality of life, and to support USGSs mandated role by funding balanced investment in USGS programs.

TABLE 1. USGS BUDGET REQUEST, FISCAL YEAR 2015

[Dollars in thousands]

Mission Area or Account

Fiscal year
2013

Fiscal year
2014
enacted

Percent
change,
fiscal year
20132014

Fiscal year
2015 request

Percent
change,
fiscal year
20142015

Percent
change
fiscal year
20132015

Ecosystems .............................................
Climate & Land Use ...............................
Energy, Minerals .....................................
Environmental Health .............................
Natural Hazards .....................................
Water Resources .....................................
Core Science Systems ............................
Science Support ......................................
Facilities .................................................

149,086
133,195
71,901
18,614
123,536
197,449
107,643
110,704
100,040

152,811
131,975
71,901
19,614
128,486
207,281
108,807
110,704
100,421

2.5
0.9
0.0
5.4
4.0
5.0
1.1
0.0
0.4

162,025
149,081
73,247
25,826
128,339
210,386
109,400
108,267
106,697

6.0
13.0
1.9
31.7
0.1
1.5
0.6
2.2
6.3

8.7
11.9
1.9
38.8
3.9
6.5
1.6
2.2
6.7

Total USGS ................................

1,012,168

1,032,000

2.0

1,073,268

4.0

6.0

USGS provides impartial scientific information that underpins well-informed decisionmaking by the Department of the Interior, all levels of government, industry,
and the public. It provides vital infrastructure through mapping, baseline studies,
monitoring, and observations, in addition to cutting-edge research and analysis. Balanced investment in USGS should support both long-term data collection and
project-specific research.
Mineral Resources Program.Funding for the Mineral Resources Program (MRP)
has been cut by more than one-third in constant dollar terms since 2003 (see figure
below) and the Presidents request continues this trend. AGI urges Congress to increase funding for MRP and to allocate new money to USGS to add forecasting capabilities to its Minerals Information functions.

19
Minerals Information.USGS is the sole provider of statistics and analysis on the
supply of, demand for, and global flow of about 100 minerals and mineral materials
for approximately 180 countries. The Departments of the Interior, Defense, and
State, the CIA, the Federal Reserve, as well as manufacturing companies and the
financial sector all rely on MRP for reliable, timely, accurate data to guide economic
and strategic decisionmaking. Production of critical products is at risk because industry depends on a constant flow of raw materials, many of which are imported
and some of which may be subject to disruptions in supply. AGI notes the lack of
any capacity to forecast future trends in minerals and mineral commodities, making
the country vulnerable to avoidable disruptions in critical material supplies. AGI
urges Congress to add new money to enable USGS to develop this strategically important expertise.
Energy Resources Program.AGI supports the increase in funding for geothermal
resources studies but we do not support the proposed cut of $1.5 million to energy
research and assessment activities. These cuts are being made when the country is
increasing its reliance on natural gas and when it is ever more important to understand the nature and distribution of our energy resources.
Hydraulic Fracturing.AGI supports USGS efforts to better understand the scientific aspects of hydraulic fracturing, to reduce potential impacts, and to provide
decision-support information. We support the allocation of $8.3 million for scientific
research on this economically important technology.
Water Resources Program.The extreme drought situation in California, northern
Texas, and surrounding areas highlights the importance of understanding the quality and quantity of our water resources. AGI is pleased to see increased investment
in the National Groundwater Monitoring Network, streamgages, and other elements
of the USGS Water Resources Program (WRP). We note the redistribution of funds
within WRP to focus on selected areas and projects and we urge Congress to ensure
that USGS continues to maintain and expand the nationwide, long-term data collection and research programs that support water planning and decisionmaking across
all States.
Natural Hazards Program.USGS is world-renowned for its information and research on earthquakes, the natural hazard that poses the greatest threat to life and
the economy. USGS work on induced seismicity is contributing crucial information
to the decisionmaking process about regulating hydraulic fracturing and injection
wells. AGI views the elimination of $700,000 from geodetic monitoring and activesource seismic profiling in order to fund work on induced seismicity as unwise. Both
of these functions are important and one should not be sacrificed to fund the other.
Hurricane Sandy, sinkhole incidents in Florida, and the recent landslide in Washington State remind us of the tragic impacts of natural hazards. But we can use
science to guide mitigation strategies and minimize damages. AGI supports robust
funding of the Natural Hazards Program and urges Congress to consider funding
at more than the Presidents request of $128.4 million.
National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (NCGMP).AGI is grateful to
Congress for passing the reauthorization of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program in the 2009 public lands omnibus (Public Law 11111, Sec. 11001).
This important 20-year-old partnership between the USGS, State geological surveys,
and universities provides the Nation with fundamental data for addressing natural
hazard mitigation, water resource management, environmental remediation, landuse planning, and raw material resource development. AGI thanks the committee
for its previous support for the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program and
supports the Presidents request for $24.5 million in fiscal year 2015.
Libraries and Data Preservation.Geological and geophysical data include rock
and ice cores, fossil, oil, and rock specimens, paper records, and computer files that
are worth far more than the cost of preserving them. The National Geological and
Geophysical Data Preservation Program (NGGDP) generates more value in terms of
economic development, environmental stewardship, hazard mitigation and fulfilling
regulatory requirements than it costs to run. Books, maps, and specimens, many of
which record observations of sites that no longer exist, are used extensively by geologists even in this digital age. The consolidation of USGS library space must not
be at the expense of access to information. AGI supports the Presidents request for
$2.1 million for the NGGDP but notes with concern the reductions being implemented to USGS libraries.
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

The Smithsonians National Museum of Natural History plays a dual role in communicating the excitement of the geosciences and enhancing knowledge through research and preservation of geoscience collections. AGI asks the subcommittee to pro-

20
vide steady funding to cutting-edge earth science research at the Smithsonian Institution. We support the Presidents request of $851 million for the Smithsonian Institution in fiscal year 2015.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

National parks are very important to the geoscience community and the public
as unique national treasures that showcase the geologic splendor of our country and
offer unparalleled opportunities for research, education, and outdoor activities. The
National Park Services Geologic Resources Division was established in 1995 to provide park managers with geologic expertise. Working in conjunction with USGS and
other partners, the division helps ensure that geoscientists are becoming part of an
integrated approach to science-based resource management in parks. AGI supports
the Presidents request for $215 million for Natural Resource Stewardship activities
and $10 million for Everglades Restoration so the NPS can adequately address the
treasured geologic and hydrologic resources in the National Parks.
Thank you for the opportunity to present this testimony to the subcommittee.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

AMERICAN HIKING SOCIETY

Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,

Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, and members of the subcommittee, I am writing regarding funding for the Land and Water Conservation
Fund in fiscal year 2015. While current enacted funding is $306 million and the administrations budget requests $900 million, American Hiking Society believes $350
million to be an amount that is within budgetary parameters yet can still accomplish at least some of the basic goals of this Fund.
Among the many worthwhile projects which could be funded at this level are ones
which would impact Americas National Scenic and Historic Trails. These trails are
enjoyed by Americans coast-to-coast, providing a wonderful outdoor recreation experience to families and individuals. Additionally, these trails are a significant economic engine in their communities, many of which are rural in nature and rely on
visitors to these iconic outdoor adventures to sustain them. Certainly tourism is one
product that cant be outsourced and deserves a solid investment.
Among the National Scenic and Historic Trails which stand to benefit from funding the LWCF at the $350 million level are:
The Appalachian Trail
The Ice Age Trail
The Lewis & Clark Trail
The New England Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail
And others.
Providing this LWCF funding to the National Trails System is critical to closing
gaps in some of the trails and to preserving unique natural and cultural environs
in others. Thank you for allowing American Hiking Society to provide our comments
on funding the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
Sincerely,
GREGORY A. MILLER, PH.D.,
President.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

AMERICAN INDIAN HIGHER EDUCATION CONSORTIUM

I. REQUEST SUMMARY

On behalf of the Nations Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), which collectively are the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), thank you
for this opportunity to present our fiscal year 2015 appropriations recommendations
for the 30 colleges funded under various titles of the Tribally Controlled Colleges
and Universities Assistance Act (Tribal College Act); the Bureau of Indian Education postsecondary institutions; and the Institute of American Indian Arts. The
Bureau of Indian Education administers these programs, save for the Institute of

21
American Indian Arts, which is congressionally chartered and funded directly
through the Department of the Interior.
In fiscal year 2015, TCUs seek $78.8 million for institutional operations, an endowment building program, and technical assistance under the Tribally Controlled
Colleges and Universities Assistance Act of 1978 or Tribal College Act; of which,
$78.1 million for titles I & II grants (28 TCUs); $109,000 for title III (endowment
grants), and $600,000 for increasingly needed technical assistance. TCUs are founded and chartered by our respective American Indian tribes, which hold a special
legal relationship with the Federal Government, actualized by more than 400 treaties, several Supreme Court decisions, prior congressional action, and the ceding of
more than one billion acres of land to the Federal Government. Despite the trust
responsibility and treaty obligations, the TCUs primary source of basic operating
funds has never been adequately funded. Further, our member institutionsalready
operating on shoestring budgetsnow are suffering the awful impact of sequestration. Should sequestration resume in fiscal year 2016, along with across the across
the board cuts that have become part of the regular order, the tribal colleges will
suffer even greater annual reductions to this already underfunded program. Regrettably, the more than 30-year Federal investment in this program, which has proven
to be a cost-effective, efficient, and transformative, may be lost as some of tribal colleges could be forced to close their doors. They simply cannot continue to operate
on the austere budgets they receive. After 34 years, our fiscal year 2015 request
seeks to achieve 85 percent of the authorized funding level for institutional operating grants, which is based on a per Indian student allocation; and to retain
$600,000 to provide critically needed ever changing technical assistance.
AIHECs membership also includes tribally controlled postsecondary career and
technical institutions, a portion of whose institutional operations funding is authorized under title V of the Tribal College Act. AIHEC requests $9,372,000 for this program. For the Institute of American Indian Arts, AIHEC supports the Presidents
budget request of $11,469,000, of which $2,000,000 is to begin to forward fund the
college. Haskell Indian Nations University and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute are the two Bureau of Indian Educations two postsecondary institutions.
AIHEC supports the highest possible funding level for these valuable institutions.
Lastly, AIHEC seeks a one-time appropriation of $22 million needed to forward
fund the operations grants of the remaining TCUs that are not so funded. Five
TCUs are the ONLY schools whose operations funding come from the Department
of the Interior that are NOT forwarded funded. All other BIE/Interior schools are
forward funded and are able to plan multi-year budgets and to start (and end) the
school year with dependable funding. Forward funding does NOT increase the Federal budget over the long-run. It simply allows vital education programs to receive
basic operating funds before each school year begins, which is critically important
when the Federal Government is funded under continuing resolutions.
II. TCU SHOESTRING BUDGETS: DOING SO MUCH WITH SO LITTLE

Tribal Colleges and Universities are an essential component of American Indian/

Alaska Native (AI/AN) education. Currently, 37 TCUs operate more than 75 campuses and sites in 16 States, within whose geographic boundaries 80 percent of all
American Indian reservations and Federal Indian trust land lie. They serve students from well over 250 federally recognized tribes, 80 percent of whom receive
Federal financial aid. In total, the TCUs annually serve about 88,000 AIs/ANs
through a wide variety of academic and community-based programs. TCUs are public institutions accredited by independent, regional accreditation agencies and like
all U.S. institutions of higher education must periodically undergo stringent performance reviews to retain their accreditation status. Each TCU is committed to improving the lives of its students through higher education and to moving American
Indians toward self-sufficiency. To do this, TCUs must fulfill additional roles within
their respective reservation communities functioning as community centers, libraries, tribal archives, career and business centers, economic development centers, public meeting places, and child and elder care centers.
The Federal Government, despite its direct trust responsibility and treaty obligations, has never fully funded the TCUs institutional operating budgets, authorized
under the Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities Assistance Act of 1978. In
fact, TCU operating funding is far below the level received by other institutions of
higher education. The administration requests and Congress appropriates approximately $200 million annually towards the institutional operations of Howard University (exclusive of its medical school), the only other Minority Serving Institution
(MSI) that receives institutional operations funding from the Federal Government.
Howard Universitys current Federal operating support exceeds $22,000/student, be-

22
cause this is the level of need as determined by the U.S. Government. In contrast,
most TCUs receive $5,850/Indian Student (ISC) under the Tribal College Act, only
about 73 percent of the authorized level. TCUs have proven that they need and have
earned an investment equal toat the very leastthe congressionally authorized
level of $8,000/Indian student. Please understand that we are by no means suggesting that our sister MSI, Howard University does not need or deserve the funding it receives, only that the TCUs also need and deserve adequate institutional operations funding; however, TCU operating budgets remain grossly underfunded.
TCU budgets are at a further disadvantage because the colleges receive funding
for only about 80 percent of their students. Almost every other U.S. institution of
higher education receives institutional operations funding based on its entire student body. However, it is important to note that although approximately 20 percent
of the TCUs collective enrollments are non-Indian students living in the local community, TCUs only receive Federal funding based on Indian students, defined as a
member of a federally recognized tribe or a biological child of an enrolled tribal
member. While many TCUs do seek funding from their respective State legislatures
for their non-Indian State-residents students (sometimes referred to as non-beneficiary students) successes have been at best inconsistent. Yet, if a TCUs non-beneficiary students attended any other public institution in the State, the State would
provide the college with ongoing funding toward its day-to-day operations. Given
their locations, often hundreds of miles from another postsecondary institution,
TCUs remain open to all students, Indian and non-Indian, believing that education
in general, and postsecondary education in particular is the catalyst for a better economic future for their regions.
III. FURTHER JUSTIFICATIONS & FACTS

(a) TCUs provide access to valuable postsecondary education opportunities. Tribal

Colleges and Universities provide access to higher education for American Indians
and others living in some of the Nations most rural and economically depressed
areas. In fact, seven of the Nations 10 poorest counties are home to a TCU. The
American Community Survey/U.S. Census Bureau reported the annual per capita
income of the U.S. population as $27,100. However, the annual per capita income
of AI/ANs is reported to be $13,300, or less than half that of the general population.
TCUs offer their students a high level of support and guidance to bolster their
chances of achieving academic success. In addition to serving their student populations, these tribal institutions offer a variety of much needed community outreach
programs.
(b) TCUs are producing an American Indian workforce that includes highly
trained American Indian teachers, tribal government leaders, nurses, engineers,
computer programmers, and other much-needed professionals. By teaching the job
skills most in demand on their reservations, TCUs are laying a solid foundation for
tribal economic growth, with benefits for surrounding communities and the Nation
as a whole. In contrast to the high rates of unemployment on many reservations,
graduates of TCUs are employed in high demand occupational areas such as Head
Start teachers, elementary and secondary school teachers, agriculture and land
management specialists, and nurses/healthcare providers. Just as important, the
vast majority of tribal college graduates remains in their tribal communities, applying their newly acquired skills and knowledge where they are most needed.
(c) Growing number of TCUs.Compounding existing funding disparities is the
fact that although the numbers of TCUs and students enrolled in them have dramatically increased since they were first funded in 1981, appropriations have increased at a disproportionately low rate. Since 1981, the number of tribal colleges
has more than quadrupled and continues to grow; the number of Indian students
enrolled has risen over 355 percent. In the past 10 years, six additional TCUs have
become accredited and eligible for funding under title I of the Tribal College Act,
and there are several more colleges currently in the pipeline. TCUs are in many
ways victims of their own successes. The growing number of tribally chartered colleges and universities and increasing enrollments have forced TCUs to slice an already inadequate annual funding pie into even smaller pieces.
(d) Local Tax and Revenue Bases.TCUs cannot rely on a local tax base for revenue. Although tribes have the sovereign authority to tax, high reservation poverty
rates, the trust status of reservation lands, and the lack of strong reservation economies hinder the creation of a reservation tax base. As noted earlier, on Indian reservations that are home to TCUs, the unemployment rate can well exceed 70 percent. By contrast, the national unemployment rate is currently 6.7 percent.
(e) Gaming and the TCUs.Although several of the reservations served by TCUs
do have gaming operations, these are not the mega-casinos located in proximity to

23
urban outlets and featured in the broad-based media. Only a handful of TCUs receive regular income from the chartering tribes gaming revenue, and the amounts
received can vary greatly from year to year. Most reservation casinos are small businesses that use their gaming revenue to improve the local standard of living and
potentially diversify into other, more sustainable areas of economic development. In
the interim, where relevant, local TCUs offer courses in casino management and
hospitality services to formally train tribal members to work in their local tribally
run casinos.
Some form of gaming is legalized in 48 States, but the Federal Government has
not used the revenues generated from State gaming as a justification to decrease
Federal funding to other public colleges or universities. Some have suggested that
those tribes that operate the few enormously successful and widely publicized casinos should be financing higher education for all American Indians. And yet, no
State is expected to share its gaming revenue with a non-gaming State.
V. APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015

As noted earlier, it has been over three decades since the Tribal College Act was
first funded, and the TCUs have yet to receive the congressionally authorized per
Indian student funding level. Full funding for the TCUs institutional operating
grants ($8,000 per Indian student) for fiscal year 2015 would require an increase
of approximately $24 million over the fiscal year 2014 appropriated level. However,
we recognize the budget constraints the Nation is currently facing and consequently,
we are not requesting that level of increase in fiscal year 2015. Rather, our goal
is to achieve 85 percent of the authorized funding level, determined by the per Indian student allocation. This requires a modest increase of $9 million over fiscal
year 2014. Details of the request are outlined in the Request Summary above.
VI. CONCLUSION

AIHEC Member institutions/Tribal Colleges and Universities provide quality

higher education to many thousands of American Indians and other reservation residents who might otherwise not have access to such opportunities. The modest Federal investment that has been made in TCUs has paid great dividends in terms of
employment, education, and economic development. Continuation of this investment
makes sound moral and fiscal sense.
We greatly appreciate your past and continued support of the Nations Tribal Colleges and Universities and your serious consideration of our fiscal year 2015 appropriations requests.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

AMERICAN INSTITUTE

OF

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) appreciates the opportunity

to provide testimony in support of appropriations for the United States Geological
Survey (USGS), United States Forest Service (USFS), and Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) for fiscal year 2015. AIBS encourages Congress to provide the USGS
with $1.2 billion in fiscal year 2015, with at least $180 million for the Ecosystems
activity. We further request that Congress provide the USFS Forest and Rangeland
Research program with at least $310 million, and EPAs Office of Research and Development with at least $597 million.
The AIBS is a nonprofit scientific association dedicated to advancing biological research and education for the welfare of society. AIBS works to ensure that the public, legislators, funders, and the community of biologists have access to and use information that will guide them in making informed decisions about matters that require biological knowledge. Founded in 1947 as a part of the National Academy of
Sciences, AIBS became an independent, member-governed organization in the
1950s. Today, AIBS has more than 140 member organizations and is headquartered
in Reston, Virginia, with a Public Policy Office in Washington, DC.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

The USGS provides unbiased, independent research, data, and assessments that
are needed by public and private sector decision-makers. Data generated by the
USGS save taxpayers money by reducing economic losses from natural disasters, allowing more effective management of water and natural resources, and providing essential geospatial information that is needed for commercial activity and natural resource management. The data collected by the USGS are not available from other
sources and our Nation cannot afford to sacrifice this information.

24
The Ecosystems activity within USGS underpins the agencys other science mission areas by providing information needed for understanding the impacts of water
use, energy exploration and production, and natural hazards on natural systems.
The USGS conducts research on and monitoring of fish, wildlife, and vegetation
data that informs management decisions by other Interior bureaus regarding protected species and land use. Biological science programs within the USGS gather
long-term data not available from other sources. The knowledge generated by USGS
programs is used by Federal and State natural resource managers to maintain
healthy and diverse ecosystems while balancing the needs of public use.
Examples of successful USGS Ecosystem initiatives include:
Development of comprehensive geospatial data products that characterize the
risk of wildfires on all lands in the United States. These products are used to
allocate firefighting resources and to plan fuel reduction projects.
Identification of white-nose syndrome, a fungus that is devastating U.S. bat
populations and is jeopardizing the multi-billion dollar pest control services provided by bats.
Identification and evaluation of control measures for Asian carp, sea lamprey,
Burmese pythons, and other invasive species that cause billions of dollars in
economic losses.
Study of the impacts of solar energy and other next generation energy sources
on wildlife and endangered species.
The requested fiscal year 2015 budget would support several important ecosystem
science priorities at USGS. The budget would expand detection and control of
invasive species and improve predictive tools. USGS would also support efforts to
further the science and integration of ecosystems services frameworks into decisionmaking and implement efforts to assess and sustain the Nations environmental
capital. Additionally, USGS would be able to address disconcerting declines in native pollinators.
The request includes additional funding for research to inform adaptive management of severe and prolonged drought. The budget would also provide an increase
for the National Streamflow Information Program, which supports USGS national
network of streamgages.
New funding is proposed for the Cooperative Research Units to increase undergraduate and graduate student involvement in Interior research. Roughly 500 graduate students each year receive training at Cooperative Research Units. Through
the units, the USGS and their partners address pressing issues facing natural resource managers at the local, State, and Federal levels. Examples of recent research
initiatives include studying the effects of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill on wildlife and
fisheries, and studying the impacts of wildfires on forest ecology. The program is
an efficient use of resources: each Federal dollar invested in the program is leveraged more than five-fold.
Although the proposed budget supports many USGS priorities, the requested
funding level would result in $41.3 million in cuts to programs that support agency
core missions. Indeed, the budget request for Ecosystems is less than the agency received in fiscal year 2002 in nominal dollars.
In summary, the USGS is uniquely positioned to provide a scientific context for
many of the Nations biological and environmental challenges, including water quality and use, energy independence, and conservation of biological diversity. This
array of research expertise not only serves the core missions of the Department of
the Interior, but also contributes to management decisions made by other agencies
and private sector organizations. An investment of $1.2 billion in the USGS and at
least $180 million in the Ecosystems activity will yield dividends.
U.S. FOREST SERVICE

United States Forest Service research provides scientific information and new
technologies to support sustainable management of the Nations forests and rangelands. These products and services increase the basic biological and physical knowledge of the composition, structure, and function of forest, rangeland, and aquatic
ecosystems.
The fiscal year 2015 budget request would cut funding for Forest Service research
by 6 percentwell in excess of the 2.6 percent cut proposed for the entire agency.
The Forest and Rangeland Research division would lose 114 employees as a result.
The proposed budget cuts would impact research on wildland fires, invasive species, wildlife and fish, and resource management. USFS research on wildland fire
and fuels evaluates the effectiveness of hazardous fuels treatments and helps managers as they protect life and property and restore fire-adapted ecosystems. Other

25
programs support key areas of scientific research, the outcomes of which inform sustainable management of the Nations forests and rangelands.
We ask Congress to restore the proposed cuts and to fund the Forest and Rangeland Research program at $310 million, the same amount as in fiscal year 2010.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

The Office of Research and Development (ORD) supports valuable extramural and
intramural research that is used to identify and mitigate environmental problems
facing our Nation. ORD research informs decisions made by public health and safety
managers, natural resource managers, businesses, and other stakeholders concerned
about air and water pollution, human health, and land management and restoration. In short, ORD provides the scientific basis upon which EPA monitoring and
enforcement programs are built.
Despite the important role played by ORD, its funding has declined by 17 percent
in nominal dollars since fiscal year 2004, when it peaked at $646.5 million. This
long-term decline has limited and will continue to limit the research that can be
conducted to support the agencys effort to protect human health and the environment, according to the EPAs Science Advisory Board. These limitations pose a
vulnerability for EPA at a time when the agency faces significant science questions
with long-term implications for protecting the environment and public health.
At $537.3 million, the budget request for fiscal year 2015 falls far short of addressing past and current shortfalls. We ask that Congress restore funding for ORD
to at least the fiscal year 2010 enacted level of $596.7 million.
The Ecosystem Services Research program within ORD is responsible for enhancing, protecting, and restoring ecosystem services, such as clean air and water, rich
soil for crop production, pollination, and flood control. The program has been long
underfunded, according to the EPA Science Advisory Board, with a 58 percent budget decline over the last decade. We ask that Congress address the chronic underfunding of the program.
The Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program supports valuable research on
human health and the environment through competitively awarded research grants.
The program enables EPA to fill information gaps that are not addressed by intramural EPA research programs or by other Federal agencies.
Two valuable training opportunities for the next generation of scientists will be
eliminated as part of a proposed governmentwide reorganization of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education programs. Funding would be zeroed
out for EPA STAR graduate fellowships and Greater Research Opportunities undergraduate fellowships. The Science Advisory Board considers it a priority to increase
STAR fellowships, if possible, because support for environmental scientists at an
early stage in their careers is a cost-effective way to advance ORDs strategic goals.
The National Academy of Sciences called the fellowship a valuable mechanism for
enabling a continuing supply of graduate students in environmental sciences and
engineering. We are concerned that the elimination of these programs will be detrimental to preparation of the next generation of environmental scientists and engineers. We ask for the program to remain at EPA and to be supported at an adequate funding level.
ORDs Safe and Sustainable Water Resources program supports research that underpins safe drinking water for society. The programs research also focuses on better understanding resiliency of watersheds to stressors and factors that affect watershed restoration. The budget request would allow the program to pursue research
that will inform decisions about water safety and to ensure the sustainability of our
wetlands.
In conclusion, we request that Congress restore funding for the ORD to the fiscal
year 2010 enacted level. These appropriation levels would allow ORD to address a
backlog of research needs.
Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this request.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

ANIMAL WELFARE INSTITUTE

On behalf of the Animal Welfare Institute, I want to thank Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, and the distinguished members of the subcommittee for
this opportunity to submit testimony regarding funding for the agencies involved in
white-nose syndrome research and management, as well as for other programs of
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Geological
Survey, U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management.

26
WHITE-NOSE SYNDROME (WNS)

$2.5 million (Presidents budget) ......

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Science Support

Purpose: To fund research on ways to stop the development and spread of WNS,
and the fungus that causes it, among bat populations.
$500,000 ............................................. U.S. Geological Survey/Ecosystems
Purpose: To conduct research into WNS management to aid in the recovery of affected species and reduce the spread of the WNS fungus.
$3 million ........................................... National Park Service/Park Management
Purpose: To inventory and protect NPS bat and cave resources; expand research into
WNS management; monitor NPS resources for WNS; conduct public education about
WNS; and standardize WNS screening procedures for visitors across park units.
$750,000 .............................................

U.S. Forest Service/Research and Development

Purpose: To conduct research on managing WNS per the Services WNS science
strategy.
$250,000 ............................................. U.S. Forest Service/Forest Systems
Purpose: To inventory and monitor bat resources and manage WNS on Forest Service lands.
$500,000 ............................................. Bureau of Land Management
Purpose: To fund field research related to WNS in bats and the inventorying and
monitoring of bat resources on Bureau-administered lands.
Capitalizing on the investments and progress already made, the funds we request
would support Federal programs to fight WNS, a disease the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service estimates has killed at least 5.7 million bats since its 2006 outbreak. Caused
by the invasive Pseudogymn-oascus destructans (Pd) fungus, WNS is present in 25
States and 5 Canadian provinces, and Pd in another 3 States. The disease or its
fungus has affected 11 hibernating bat species so far, including the endangered Indiana, gray, and Virginia big-eared bats; 25 of our Nations 47 bat species may ultimately be at risk. Losses are so severe that FWS published a proposed rule to list
the northern long-eared bat as endangered throughout its range, which is most of
the eastern U.S., and is reviewing another two species for possible listing under the
Endangered Species Act.
The loss of bats from WNS will likely have serious implications for our economy
and environment. Bats are primary predators of night-flying insects, including agricultural pests that attack corn, soybeans, cotton, and other crops. By eating these
pests, bats save farmers an average of $22.9 billion per year by reducing the need
for pesticides and lowering food production costs. Bats also perform ecological services for 66 plant species that produce timber. Healthy forests need healthy bats.
The Federal Government and its State, local, tribal, and nonprofit partners continue to make progress in fighting WNS. Thanks to Federal funding from previous
years, these institutions are conducting research in line with the priorities identified
at the 2014 WNS symposium: understanding the nature and dynamics of remnant
bat populations in WNS-affected areas; understanding the nature and dynamics of
Pd infectivity and virulence factors; and other questions such as biological control
for WNS. These research directions hold promise for solutions to slow or stop the
spread of the disease, and to alleviate its impacts on affected bats. In one of the
past years notable findings, Forest Service scientists taxonomically reclassified the
WNS fungus from Geomyces destructans to Pseudogymnoascus destructans. A goal
of the WNS community is to pinpoint the WNS fungus harmful genes and silence
them as a means of controlling the fungus; this research furthers that effort by
shedding light on the genetic similarities and differences between the white-nose
fungus and its closest, benign fungi relatives. Another positive development is the
creation of the North American Bat Monitoring Program, which will be pilot-tested
this summer. Until now, no coordinated or standard system for monitoring bat populations has existed within North America. As a result, wildlife managers and re-

27
searchers have lacked accurate data on which to base appropriate bat management
actions. The program will benefit not only the WNS fight but also other bat conservation efforts.
These developments would not have been possible without funding. We thank
Congress for recognizing the gravity of the WNS crisis and supporting agencies response to the disease in past years. We have come so far in understanding WNS
and determining directions for the fight against this devastating disease. Failing to
adequately fund WNS response in fiscal year 2015 will undermine our hard-won
progress, jeopardize the application of science to management, and thwart the impact of private funds leveraged to combat WNS. We recognize todays difficult budget situation but urge you to provide funding at the levels noted above.
Money spent on WNS is a wise investment. Preventing the spread of WNS will
spare businesses the regulatory and other impacts of massive bat die-offs. The experience gained will aid in responding to future fungal outbreaks that may affect
human health. Finally, fighting WNS now will reduce future harm to the economy
from insect-related losses to agriculture and forestry and the cost of listed-species
recovery. An ounce of prevention truly is worth a pound of cure.
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE OFFICE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT$66.737 MILLION

The administrations fiscal year 2015 budget proposes a moderate funding increase for the FWS Office of Law Enforcement (OLE), one of the most important
lines of defense for Americas wildlife. OLE is tasked with enforcing over a dozen
Federal wildlife and conservation laws that frequently impact both domestic and
global security. Year after year, OLE protects the public against the illegal trade
in wildlife and wildlife productswhich is third only to the illicit trade in narcotics
and weapons in terms of revenue generated globallyand the U.S. remains a source
of, or destination for, much of this contraband. Even those who may not concern
themselves with wildlife are reaping benefits as OLE protects against smuggling illegal substances and helps to thwart potentially devastating human health threats.
It is critical that OLE receive adequate funding to fulfill its mission.
Accordingly, we support FWSs proposed appropriation of $66.737 million for OLE,
an increase of $1.994 million over the fiscal year 2014 enacted budget, and the addition of seven full-time employees. This increase in funding and staff will provide for
expanded forensics capability at the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory, support the work of Special Agents and Wildlife Inspectors, and enhance the
Services ability to combat wildlife trafficking.
National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory$1.247 million increase 5 FTE
The successful outcomes of enforcement cases would not be possible without the
essential work of the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory (NFWFL),
used by FWS agents and inspectors to gather hard evidence in wildlife crime cases.
The lab uses state-of-the-art science, along with years of institutional knowledge, to
identify wildlife products by species, determine the cause of death, and make other
findings critical to a successful legal case. All 50 States and the 175 Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) member countries depend on
this facility to prosecute wildlife crimes.
It is heartening that $1.247 million of the proposed $1.994 million increase to
OLEs budget and 5 of the 7 additional full time employees will be allocated to the
NFWFLs work. This will aid in the advancement of research involving genetic
markers and isotope analysis, which will ultimately improve investigators ability to
determine the geographic origin of animals and animal parts. These funds would
also serve to develop the laboratorys Morphology Section, where these is a great
need for both hiring and training of forensics experts.
Program Activities/Special Agents and Wildlife Inspectors$247,000 increase
The Fish and Wildlife Service Special Agents and Wildlife Inspectors who enforce
U.S. wildlife laws play a critical role in protecting our Nations wildlife. Special
Agents aid in the reduction of illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife products, which
continues to imperil species in the U.S. and around the world. Wildlife Inspectors
play a similarly valuable role, minimizing illegal contraband shipments, uncovering
smuggled goods and illegal trade rings at the border, and thwarting national and
global health risks associated with importing non-native species.
In fiscal year 2013, FWS Special Agents pursued 10,422 investigations involving
180,368 wildlife shipments, including 157,065 shipments containing foreign species.
Agents identified 1,824 individuals/businesses conducting illegal activities involving
migratory birds; 2,535 individuals/businesses engaged in crime involving threatened
and endangered species; and 7,521 individuals/businesses conducting illegal activities involving foreign species. These enforcement activities resulting in $24.6 million

28
in fines and penalties, 45.9 years of jail time for the perpetrators, and 452.7 years
of probation.1
In the same year, FWS Wildlife Inspectors processed approximately 182,000 declared shipments of wildlife products worth over $6.2 billion.2 This impressive
record merits proper funding and staffing adequate to fulfill OLEs mission.
Wildlife Trafficking$500,000 increase 2 FTE
FWSs Special Investigations Unit (SIU) works to address complex wildlife trafficking cases, including cases involving critically endangered species. Poaching is on
the rise internationally, and SIUs investigation and enforcement work is of critical
importance to making the United States a part of the solution. Both the Administrations National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking and the Presidents Executive Order on combating wildlife trafficking highlight the prevention of wildlife
crime as a national priority.
Increasing its staff from 6 to 8 agents will provide SIU with the capacity to undertake a national investigation of the trade in ivory, including both importation and
smuggling within the United States, while continuing its national and international
efforts to investigate rhino horn trafficking. We support FWSs request for $500,000
(of the total $1.994 million requested increase) and 2 additional full time employee
positions (of the 7 total FTE requested for law enforcement).
WILD FREE-ROAMING HORSES AND BURROS ACT

The wild horse is as much a symbol of our American heritage as the image of
Uncle Sam and baseball. Currently, Americas wild horses are subjected to gross
mismanagement and mistreatment by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM),
which uses a significant portion of its budget to round up and warehouse wild
horses and burros without credible evidence supporting the need for such removals
as recently documented by a National Academy of Science study. Furthermore, since
2004, wild horses have been at risk of being sold to killer-buyers who make a profit
by sending horses to slaughter for human consumptionin fact, in recent years,
hundreds of wild horses were sold to at least one known killer-buyer.
In 1971, Congress acted to protect these wild animals and their natural habitat.
For the last few years, this subcommittee has also called on the BLM to find humane solutions, but they ignore options and fail to act responsibly. It is now time
for Congress to act decisively to ensure these animals are neither sent into holding
facilities nor sentenced to slaughter. BLMs proposed budget includes a program increase of $2.8 million for wild horse and burro management. These funds are to be
used for population control research, including ongoing studies that focus on developing more effective and longer lasting fertility control agents. . . . 3 We support
these efforts and request that any increase in appropriations under the Wild FreeRoaming Horses and Burros Act be used solely for implementation of humane, onthe-range management methods such as immunocontraception, and not unnecessary
roundup.
Finally, we strongly support the continued inclusion of this no-kill language to
ensure that BLM does not kill healthy wild horses and burros: Provided, that appropriations herein made shall not be available for the sale or destruction of healthy,
unadopted wild horses and burros in the care of the Bureau or its contractors.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE LETHAL MANAGEMENT OF NATIVE WILDLIFE

In recent years, the National Park Service (NPS) has significantly expanded its
lethal control of native ungulates in contravention of its own legal mandates. During
this time, the NPS has initiated lethal control of ungulates in a number of national
parks (e.g., Valley Forge, Catoctin, Indiana Dunes, and Rock Creek) and is considering similar efforts in other parks. In each case, the NPS has misapplied its own
statutes and policies and has failed to provide any credible site-specific data to justify its heavy-handed strategies. Though even the NPS concedes that ungulates are
keystone herbivores, it is unwilling to allow ungulates to naturally influence ecosystem structure and function, as its own statutes and policies require. Therefore,
we request that the following language, which would save taxpayer dollars, be included in the Senate Interior Appropriations bill: No funds appropriated under this
legislation shall be expended by the National Park Service to lethally control or kill
1 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, Law Enforcement at a Glance
(2014).
2 Id.
3 U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management, Budget Justifications and
Performance Information: fiscal year 2015 (2014).

29
native ungulates nor shall the National Park Service permit any entity, public or
private, to kill said ungulates.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

APPALACHIAN TRAIL CONSERVANCY

Dear Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee: On behalf of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), for reasons described below, I am requesting a fiscal year 2015 appropriation from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)
in the amount of $4,461,000 for the Department of the Interior, National Park Service and $7,850,000 for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service
(USFS) for the acquisition of lands and interests in lands surrounding or bordering
the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in the States of New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
ATC also requests support for the Presidents fiscal year 2015 budget request of
$2,283,852,000 for National Park Service operations and $10 million for the Centennial Challenge, as well as a budget request of $183,000 for the USDA Forest Service
for operational costs associated with managing the Appalachian National Scenic
Trail.
Background.The Appalachian National Scenic Trail (ANST) is Americas premier long-distance footpath. Begun in 1922 and completed in 1937 as a continuous
footpath extending from western Maine to northern Georgia, the trail gained Federal recognition in 1968 with the passage of the National Trails System Act. Amendments to that act in 1978 expanded the authorization for Federal and State land
acquisition to establish a permanent, publicly owned right-of-way as well as a protective corridor or greenway along the trail. Since 1978, with the strong support of
the subcommittee and the Congress as a whole, the Appalachian National Scenic
Trail land acquisition program of the National Park Service and USDA Forest Service has become one of the most successful land conservation efforts in the Nations
history. Additional land acquisitions will serve to protect priority landscapes along
the trail that offer recreational and ecological benefits to the public.
Resource Characteristics.The Appalachian Trail is a 2,185-mile footpath extending along the crests and valleys of the Appalachian Mountains through 14 States
from Maine to Georgia. Often characterized as a string of pearls, the trail, which
is administered as a unit of the National Park System, connects eight National Forests, six other units of the National Park System, and approximately 60 State
parks, forests, and game management units. With an estimated 2 million visitors
per year, it ranks among the most heavily visited units of the National Park System
and also ranks among the top 10 units from the standpoint of natural diversity,
with more than 2,200 documented occurrences of federally and State listed rare,
threatened, or endangered species at more than 500 discrete sites.
The Appalachian Trail is equally well known as a remarkable public/private partnership. Since the initial construction of the trail in the 1920s and 30s, volunteers
affiliated with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy have constructed, reconstructed,
and maintained the footpath, as well as a system of more than 250 shelters and
associated facilities such as privies, improved campsites, bridges, signs, and parking
lots. In 2013, for example, 5,941 volunteers contributed 245,548 hours of labor along
the trail.
Need for Appropriations.As noted previously, while the Appalachian National
Scenic Trail protection program represents one of the most successful land acquisition programs in the history of the conservation movement in the United States,
that program is not yet complete. A number of critical parcels are now ripe for land
acquisition from willing sellers, and we are seeking fiscal year 2015 LWCF appropriations to secure those properties. A brief description of each of those critical parcels follows.
Bald Cap Peak, New Hampshire.ATC and The Conservation Fund request a fiscal year 2015 LWCF appropriation of $200,000 for the National Park Service. The
funds would be obligated for the National Park Service to acquire a 300-acre tract
in fee in Coos County, New Hampshire. The tract will broaden the Appalachian
Trail corridor in these highlands, protecting the natural flora and fauna along it,
as well as the high elevation watershed found along the crest of the mountains the
trail traverses. These lands are part of the Mahoosuc Mountain range, which is the
northerly extension of the White Mountains in northeastern New Hampshire. Acquisition of this property would enhance protection for three major peaks in the area,
including Bald Cap Peak, Bald Cap, North Bald Cap, and the area around Mount
Success. This acquisition also will protect a key side trail that provides access to
one of the more remote sections of the trail.

30
Greensboro Farm, New Hampshire.ATC and the Trust for Public Lands request
a fiscal year 2015 LWCF appropriation of $2,251,000 for the National Park Service
to acquire a 173-acre tract of land owned by Dartmouth College and located in the
town of Hanover, New Hampshire. This acquisition will protect the ANST corridor
from incompatible development and permanently protect side trails maintained by
the town of Hanover which connect to the Appalachian Trail, but which do not have
permanent protection status. Acquisition of this property, known as Hudson Farm,
will also protect wetland and riparian systems, grassland bird habitat, rare plant
sites, a significant wildlife corridor, and forest resources. The Hudson Farm is likely
to be divested by Dartmouth College within the next 2 to 4 years, as it has been
deemed a non-strategic real estate holding.
Pomfret Pines Project, Vermont.ATC and The Conservation Fund request funding in fiscal year 2015 of $533,000 for the National Park Service to acquire an easement interest in an 81-acre property, known as the Pomfret Pines Farm, situated
on a hill adjacent to and above the Appalachian Trail in the town of Pomfret,
Vermont, to conserve its natural and scenic character. The property may be under
threat of subdivision and residential development.
Hottle-Fahey Forest, Massachusetts.ATC requests funding in fiscal year 2015 of
$777,000 for the National Park Service to acquire a 306-acre tract of the HottleFahey Forest that lies in the foreground viewshed of Warner Hill in Hinsdale, Massachusetts. In 2010, an industrial wind developer proposed constructing six large
wind turbines within 500 feet of the ANST corridor at this point. This would have
seriously altered the view from Warner Hill and significantly changed the character
of this section of the trail through the small rural village of Hinsdale. In late 2012,
the developer withdrew plans to develop the site, but the threat for industrial development and/or timber extraction remains. The Hottle-Fahey Forest lies in the center
of the Hinsdale Flats, an area designated by the State of Massachusetts as an Area
of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC), a site that receives special recognition
because of the quality, uniqueness, and significance of its resources.
White Rocks Addition, Pennsylvania.ATC requests a fiscal year 2015 LWCF appropriation of $500,000 for the National Park Service to acquire a 107-acre property
in the viewshed of the Appalachian Trail as it crosses the White Rocks formation
just southeast of Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. This tract is contiguous to a recently protected 800-acre tract. The most pressing threat to this landscape is the
potential for additional development by the landowner.
Tennessee Mountains Trails and Waters-Rich Mountain Inholding.ATC requests
a fiscal year 2015 LWCF appropriation of $3,700,000, including the Rich Mountain
inholding ($700,000), for the USDA Forest Service. This collaborative project includes funding for acquisitions associated with trails in Tennessee, including a 100acre privately owned inholding situated in the northwest corner of the recently acquired 10,000-acre Rocky Fork property, a significant acquisition for the ANST. This
tract includes the highest point of land for the overall property as well as prominent
cliffs. The cliffs are only a short distance from the ANST through a high elevation
heath bald. The property provides sweeping views of the Sampson Mountain Wilderness and northeast Tennessee/southwest Virginia.
North Carolina Threatened TreasuresGrassy Ridge Project.ATC requests a fiscal year 2015 LWCF appropriation of $1,100,000 for the USDA Forest Service to acquire 601 acres of high elevation grassy bald with several threatened and endangered species. This parcel is the largest unprotected parcel in the ANST and Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail viewshed. An additional $1,050,000 will be
contributed to the project from the North Carolina Parks and Recreation Trust Fund
and the North Carolina Clean Water Trust Fund.
Sugarloaf Mountain, Tennessee.ATC requests a fiscal year 2015 LWCF appropriation of $330,000 for the USDA Forest Service to acquire this 80-acre inholding
within the Cherokee National Forest to protect the viewshed of the Appalachian
Trail. The tract hosts a cove hardwood forest, a waterfall, and abundant wildflowers,
offering an outstanding recreational experience. ATC will contribute funding for the
appraisal of this important tract.
National Trails Collaborative Landscape.ATC requests a fiscal year 2015 LWCF
appropriation of $2,720,000 for the USDA Forest Service. This acquisition package
includes several important ANST tracts, including:
Ripshin Wetlands.This 403-acre property is adjacent to the Moffett Laurel Botanical Area Rare Community and Ripshin Ridge Rare Community. The Ripshin
tract contains documented habitat and breeding grounds for the Bog Turtle, a
State threatened species and federally listed threatened species within an Appalachian Highlands Bog. Cliff top viewpoints offer exceptional views of this tract
for Appalachian Trail hikers. This tract is surrounded on three sides by the
Cherokee National Forest.

31
Hump Mountain, Tennessee.The 27-acre Hump Mountain tract is a high elevation southern Appalachian grassy bald, which is home to a unique ecosystem
including several threatened and endangered species and species of concern.
The tract is also part of the culturally significant Roan Highlands landscape
and a national natural landmark, and it is surrounded on three sides by the
Cherokee and Pisgah National Forests.
Shook Branch, Tennessee, Cherokee National Forest.This 20-acre tract provides an important linkage for the Appalachian Trail corridor as it travels from
Watauga Lake to the Pond Mountain Wilderness. Rerouting the trail onto this
tract will provide a much safer crossing of the very busy U.S. 321, prevent development adjacent to a USFS/Tennessee Valley Authority recreation area, and
provide an improved corridor for wildlife.
National Park Service Funding.ATC requests a $10 million appropriation for
the Centennial Challenge and $2,283,852,000 for National Park Service (NPS) operations. As NPS prepares for its 100th anniversary, Congress has an achievable opportunity to begin reversing the damaging pattern of recent cuts and long-term
underfunding and instead invest in the popular and economically important NPS,
including the ANST. The troubled budget process of recent years has allowed a slow
motion shutdown that has meant deferring significant maintenance projects and the
hiring of key park staff that provide for safe and enjoyable visits.
USDA Forest Service, Appalachian National Scenic Trail Operations.ATC requests $183,000 in operational funds for the USDA Forest Service Southern Region
8 to provide a liaison for trail management. Operational funds also support volunteer trail maintenance crews and visitor outreach.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this testimony and for your consideration
of our request.
RON TIPTON,
Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

APS FOUR CORNERS POWER PLANT

APRIL 9, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
DAVID C. BLOOMFIELD, P.E.,
Four Corners Site Plant Manager.

32
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

ASME ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TASK

FORCE

Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member, and members of the subcommittee: The ASME
Environmental Protection Agency Task Force is pleased to provide this testimony
on the fiscal year 2015 budget request for research and development programs in
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
INTRODUCTION

ASME is a nonprofit, worldwide educational and technical Society with more than
130,000 members. It conducts one of the worlds largest technical publishing operations, holds more than 30 technical conferences and 200 professional development
courses each year, and has authored over 600 industrial and manufacturing standards.
BACKGROUND

Scientists and engineers have a long-standing professional interest in applying

Science & Technology (S&T) to improve the environment and human health in the
U.S. Mechanical engineers increasingly collaborate with other professionals to develop innovative and cost-effective environmental technologies and systems.
The EPA plays an essential role in the Nations efforts to protect human health
and safeguard the environment, and EPAs S&T research and development (R&D)
activities are instrumental in improving environmental protection in a sound, sustainable, and cost-effective manner. R&D efforts are needed to improve environmental health, the ecology, environmental monitoring, environmental technology development and implementation. Pollution reduction is needed to address the emerging concerns of climate change, as well as homeland security and infrastructure protection.
OVERVIEW OF THE ASME EPA TASK FORCE REVIEW

The fiscal year 2015 budget request for EPA is $7.9 billion, a $310 million or 3.8
percent decrease from the fiscal year 2014 enacted amount of $8.2 billion. The EPAs
Science and Technology account would increase by 0.6 percent or $4.6 million in fiscal year 2015 to $763.7 million.
EPA has seen declining budget figures for the last four budget cycles. The EPA
Task Force feels that a higher appropriation is warranted for the agency in fiscal
year 2015. Additional R&D funds are needed in order to enhance study responses
to hydraulic fracturing and oil shale waste issues, climate change, terrestrial carbon
sequestration and management, biofuels, and nanotechnology development.
The Task Forces comments on the fiscal year 2015 budget focus on the R&D activities of the S&T portfolio within the EPAs Office of Research and Development
(ORD) and the Superfund program that support eight strategic programmatic research areas:
The change in funding levels supporting these core objectives between fiscal year
2013 and fiscal year 2015 is as follows:
[Dollars in millions]
Fiscal year
2013

Indoor Air and Radiation .......................................................................................

Homeland Security .................................................................................................
Clean Air and Climate ...........................................................................................
Safe and Sustainable Water Resources
Human Health Protection .......................................................................................
Air, Climate, and Energy Research .......................................................................

$6.39
38.88
114.9
106.2
3.6
87.1

Fiscal year
2014

$6.45
38.36
120.4
111.0
3.6
94.9

Fiscal year
2015

$6.09
39.44
118.5
114.1
3.6
101.9

EPA OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Through research and technical assistance, ORD provides the scientific foundation
for EPA by performing research and development to identify and solve present and
future environmental issues and providing responsive technical support to its scientific partners. The ORD administers programs addressing both foundational research, to improve the scientific tools used to understand and evaluate environmental health, as well as problem-driven research designed to provide scientific solutions to high-priority environmental problems. It is an invaluable national resource.

33
We note that the ORD workforce has declined by over 10 percent in the past several years and is now not sufficient to permit action on various topics of national
importance. Effort should be made to right size the ORD staff so that it can continue to support R&D on current and future environmental problems.
We support the increases requested for the EPAs S&T directorate, which partially
reverses several years of funding decreases. An evaluation of EPAs resources is
needed to ensure that it can balance between existing priorities and new challenges.
Program specifics issues are outlined below:

INDOOR AIR AND RADIATION

[Dollars in millions]
Fiscal year
2013

Indoor Air: Radon Program ....................................................................................

Reduce Risks from Indoor Air ................................................................................
Radiation Protection ..............................................................................................
Radiation Preparedness Response ........................................................................

$0.56
0.36
1.9
4.0

Fiscal year
2014

$0.19
0.31
2.1
3.8

Fiscal year
2015

$0.0
0.41
2.0
3.6

The Task Force supports the EPAs replacement of the Radon Program with the
Federal Radon Action Plan, which will leverage industry and nonprofit efforts to
amplify existing Federal efforts to reduce radon risk.

HOMELAND SECURITY
[Dollars in millions]
Fiscal year
2013

Critical Infrastructure Protection ...........................................................................

Preparedness, Response and Recovery .................................................................
Protection of EPA Personnel and Infrastructure ....................................................

$10.3
27.9
0.54

Fiscal year
2014

$10.4
27.3
0.54

Fiscal year
2015

$12.0
26.8
0.57

Homeland security activities are a significant component of the EPAs S&T activities, focusing on critical infrastructure protection and disaster preparedness and response. The Task Force plans to review the reduced program operation levels, particularly with respect to EPA personnel accounts, to insure that the reductions do
not delay the completion of the programs objectives. The Task Force supports the
additional funding allocated to the Critical Infrastructure Protection program.

CLEAN AIR AND CLIMATE

[Dollars in millions]
Fiscal year
2013

Climate Protection .................................................................................................

$13.0

Fiscal year
2014

$8.31

Fiscal year
2015

$8.0

The EPA Task Force views Climate Protection Research as a critical issue and
is troubled by the funding trajectory for this program given funding in the previous
fiscal years. We urge Congress to appropriate additional funds for Climate Protection to exceed the fiscal year 2015 requested level.

RESEARCH: AIR, CLIMATE AND ENERGY

[Dollars in millions]

S&T Activities .........................................................................................................

Fiscal year
2013

Fiscal year
2014

Fiscal year
2015

$87.1

$94.9

$101.9

The EPA Task Force supports the full fiscal year 2015 increased request for Air,
Climate and Energy Research, particularly the $3.79 million in additional funding
for support for hydraulic fracturing research activities within the ACE research program.

34
SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE WATER RESOURCES
[Dollars in millions]

Research

Fiscal year
2013

Fiscal year
2014

Fiscal year
2015

$106.2

$111.0

$114.1

Safe and Sustainable Water Resources funding supports a variety of activities related to the challenges facing U.S. water resources, including drinking water and
waste water from industrial activities like hydraulic fracturing. Funding for Sustainability research is slated for an increase of just over $3.1 million for this fiscal
year. The Task Force is pleased that funding has been increased and supports the
fiscal year 2015 request.

HUMAN HEALTH PROTECTION

[Dollars in millions]
Fiscal year
2013

Drinking Water Programs .......................................................................................

$3.61

Fiscal year
2014

Fiscal year
2015

$3.63

$3.68

Overall, the fiscal year 2015 budget request calls for a slight increase from the
fiscal year 2014 appropriated amount. The Task Force considers the long term development of infrastructure related to water quality issues as a high priority of the
EPA and supports this request given the constrained budget environment.
WATER QUALITY RESEARCH AND SUPPORT GRANTS

The EPA Task Force urges Congress to again support funding for the Water Quality Research and Support Grant program. Last year, Congress provided $4.23 million for this nationally competitive grant program to fund water quality and availability research. Given the severe droughts and water resource challenges facing
many parts of the country, the Task Force supports funding at the fiscal year 2014
appropriated level for this grant program.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

The fiscal year 2015 EPA budget does not request any funding to support Environmental Education, which was funded at $8.7 million in fiscal year 2014. It is essential to encourage students to pursue careers in environmental science and engineering. Such investments are critical to addressing environmental concerns, bolstering our Nations workforce, and maintaining its competitiveness. If Congress
and the Administration proceed with the transfer of EPA environmental education
activities to the National Science Foundation (NSF), close coordination and consultation with EPA should be conducted to ensure that the goals of EPAs programs are
continued under NSF administration.
CONCLUSION

The administrations fiscal year 2015 request is, in part, reflective of a difficult
fiscal environment where tough choices have to be made to support priorities within
the EPA. As this Task Force has previously stated, however, difficult budget choices
should not preclude certain priorities from receiving funding. The Task Force requests that additional funding be allocated for the Homeland Security programs to
insure that security enhancements to our water supply are not delayed nor disrupted. Further, the Task Force proposes the continued funding of EPAs Water
Quality Research Support Grant program.
This statement represents the views of the EPA Task Force of the Environmental
Engineering Division (EED) of ASMEs Technical Communities and is not necessarily a position of ASME as a whole.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

ASSOCIATION

OF

ART MUSEUM DIRECTORS

The Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) respectfully requests funding

of no less than $155 million each for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

35
In addition, AAMD requests a revision of the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act
(Public Law 94158) as amended (Public Law 110161, Sec. 426) to increase the
amount of indemnity that may be outstanding at any given time and for any single
exhibition. Congress last amended the Act in 2005 and 2007, and both times it did
so through the appropriations process.
I. THE ARTS AND ARTIFACTS INDEMNITY ACT

Congress and President Gerald Ford approved the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity
Act in 1975 to promote the international exchange and exhibition of major artworks.
Officially a program of the Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities, the program is administered by the NEA. In 2007, Congress expanded eligibility to include
coverage of works of art owned by U.S. entities while on exhibition in the United
States.
Federal indemnity only covers objects in major exhibitions. It usually does not
cover every object, as some are excluded because they are fragile, or for other reasons. When objects are excluded, the museum must either secure private insurance
or cover them through its own blanket policy. Having indemnity for some objects
makes getting insurance for the remainder easier and more affordable.
Absent indemnification, some exhibitions would have to be cut back in scale,
whether by traveling to fewer venues or including fewer objects. In some cases, exhibitions would not go forward at all. For this reason, fine arts insurers as well as
museums support the indemnity program, since they would rather insure some objects in an exhibition than not have the exhibition presented in the first place.
The program has run smoothly and incurred minimal costs to the Federal Government, which since 1975 has paid just two claims, totaling $104,700. It currently
saves art museums approximately $30 million annually, while enabling major exhibitions to be presented to audiences around the country, with all of their attendant
educational and economic benefits.
The programs cost has been so low for several reasons. First, it imposes high
deductibles: for exhibitions indemnified for over $500 million, the deductible is
$500,000. Second, the program is very strict about what it will cover, with entire
classes of objects ineligible due to fragility. Third, the program demands the highest
standards in security and environmental controls; for example, all exhibitions must
have human guards 24 hours a day, and all works must travel with couriers.
The Act allows no more than $10 billion in indemnity for international exhibitions
to be outstanding at any one time, and no single international exhibition may receive indemnity for more than $1.2 billion of value. No more than $5 billion may
be outstanding at any one time for domestic exhibitions, and no single domestic exhibition may receive indemnity for more than $750 million of value.
In 2012, museums requested indemnity for nearly $16 billion in value for international exhibitions and over $6 billion for domestic. Museums report that the caps
are preventing indemnity from being extended to objects that would have been covered in past years. Simply put, there is not enough coverage to go around. As both
inflation and a rising art market take their toll, the situation is bound to worsen.
A list of recently indemnified exhibitions appears on the NEAs Web site. While
only the museum that organizes the exhibition applies for indemnity, all museums
that present or lend to the exhibition benefit from it. For example, the Art Museum
at the Rhode Island School of Design recently shared a Manet portrait and a Renoir
with audiences far beyond Rhode Island, thanks to the indemnity program. The
Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha sent its Veronese to the Boston Museum of Fine Arts
as part of a major exhibition of Venetian painting, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese: Rivals in Renaissance Venice.
Nor is it only large institutions that present qualifying exhibitions. For example,
the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky organized Rembrandt, Rubens,
Gainsborough and the Golden Age of Painting, which traveled with indemnity to
the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Dixon Gallery and Gardens in
Memphis, Tennessee, Flint institute of Arts in Flint, Michigan; and the El Paso Museum of Art in El Paso, Texas. In this case, indemnity coverage permitted the Speed
to control the exhibitions costs and translated into a reduced participation fee for
these moderate sized art museums.
Since 1975, Congress has raised the international caps several times, the last
being in 2005, generally anywhere from 25 percent to 100 percent. A partial legislative history is included below.
AAMD requests that Congress once again raise the international caps and, for the
first time since instituting the domestic program in 2007, raise its caps as well.
Using previous congressional actions as precedent, we suggest that it would be reasonable to institute an overall cap of $15 billion for international exhibitions with

36
the limit per exhibition rising to $1.8 billion, and an overall cap of $7.5 billion for
domestic exhibitions with the limit per exhibition rising to $1 billion.
Partial Legislative History of the Indemnity Act
1975 S. 1800.An Act to provide indemnities for exhibitions of artistic and humanistic endeavors, establishes aggregate cap of $250,000,000, with $50,000,000
maximum per international exhibition.
1980 S. 1386.Reauthorization of National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act and the Museum Services Act, increases aggregate cap to $400,000,000.
1985 S. 1264.Arts, Humanities and Museums Amendments of 1985, increases
the aggregate of loss or damage covered at any one time by indemnity agreements
made under such Act. Increases the maximum level of indemnification for each exhibition.
1990 H.R. 5769.Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, increases aggregate cap and exhibition cap.
1999 H.R. 4328.Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, amends the Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Act to increase certain coverage limits for loss or damage of items covered by indemnity agreements under
such Act.
2003 H.R. 13.Museum and Library Services Act, increases aggregate cap from
$5 billion to $8 billion and exhibition cap from $500 million to $600 million.
2005 H.R. 2361.Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, increases aggregate cap to $10 billion and exhibition cap to $1.2
billion.
2007 H.R. 2764.Consolidated Appropriations Act, establishes program for domestic exhibitions with aggregate cap of $5 billion and exhibition cap of $750 million.
II. NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

As stated above, AAMD requests that Congress appropriate no less than $155 million for the NEA. The agency continues to make modest but important grants that
leverage significant private support.
For this statement we would like to focus on the Blue Star Museums program,
which is an outstanding example of NEA leadership. In 2013, 80 percent of AAMDs
membership participated in the Blue Star program, which calls on museums to offer
free admission to active-duty military families at least from Memorial Day to Labor
Day. Many museums offered free admission year-round. We have asked our members to enroll for 2014 and are receiving an enthusiastic response.
Inspired by the Blue Star program, many AAMD members have tailored programs
to the military audience:
The Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, Tennessee presented Steve
Mumfords War Journals, 20032013. Thanks to a generous donor, the Frist
also offers free membership to military families.
The Minneapolis Institute of Art has created a specialized tour for veterans attending the Psychiatry Partial Hospital (PPH) program at the Minneapolis VA.
The tour, titled Honoring the Warrior combines art history, art appreciation
and art therapy into a unique therapeutic experience where veterans can explore their thoughts and feelings through their reactions to particular works of
art.
The Honolulu Museum of Art is particularly proud of the Warriors Eyes on Art
program, a partnership with Honolulus Tripler Army Medical Center. Servicemen and servicewomen in treatment for P.T.S.D. visit the museum before hours
to visit the galleries and create art works of their own with professionals from
the museum and medical center.
At the Bronx Museum of the Arts, a series of paintings, interviews and stories
convey the pressing need for a civilian awareness of the realities and experiences of veterans from current and past generations, according to the museums website.
Each of these AAMD members is a Blue Star Museum.
III. NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES

Finally, and as stated above, AAMD requests that Congress appropriate no less
than $155 million for the NEH.
This important agency assists art museums in presenting humanities scholarship
to the general public. It also has historically played an invaluable role in assisting
with the preservation and conservation of important collections. This is exactly the

37
type of unglamorous work for which it is chronically difficult to raise private funding, making Federal support all the more valuable.
Both the NEA and NEH rely on the participation of non-governmental peer reviewers in making funding decisions, ensuring that political interference is non-existent. This system is the envy of many nations, and we strongly encourage Congress to maintain its vitality though continued and increased funding.
We would be happy to answer any questions or provide more information as needed.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE ASSOCIATION OF
ADMINISTRATORS

STATE DRINKING WATER

Who We Are: I am John Calkins, president of the Association of State Drinking

Water Administrators (ASDWA). ASDWA represents the State drinking water programs in the 50 States, territories, District of Columbia, and the Navajo Nation in
their efforts to provide safe drinking water to more than 275 million consumers nationwide.
SUMMARY OF REQUEST

ASDWA respectfully requests that, for fiscal year 2015, the subcommittee appropriate funding for three programs at levels commensurate with Federal expectations
for performance; that ensure appropriate public health protection; and that will result in enhancing economic stability and prosperity in American cities and towns.
ASDWA requests $200 million for the Public Water System Supervision (PWSS)
program; $1.3 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund (DWSRF)
program; and $10 million for State drinking water program security initiatives. A
more complete explanation of the needs represented by these requested amounts
and their justification follows.
HOW STATES USE FEDERAL FUNDS

Public Health Protection.States need increased Federal support to maintain

overall public health protection and to support the needs of the water systems they
oversee. State drinking water programs strive to meet public health protection goals
through two principal funding programs: the Public Water System Supervision Program (PWSS) and the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund (DWSRF) Program. These two programs, with their attendant State match requirements, provide
the means for States to work with drinking water utilities to ensure that American
citizens can turn on their taps with confidence that the water is both safe to drink
and the supply is adequate. In recent years, State drinking water programs have
accepted additional responsibilities in the area of water system security that include
working with all public water systems to ensure that critical drinking water infrastructure is protected; that plans are in place to respond to both natural and manmade disasters; and that communities are better positioned to support both physical
and economic resilience in times of crisis.
Vibrant and sustainable communities, their citizens, workforce, and businesses all
depend on a safe, reliable, and adequate supply of drinking water. Economies only
grow and sustain themselves when they have reliable water supplies. Over 90 percent of the population receives water used for bathing, cooking, and drinking from
a public water systemoverseen by State drinking water program personnel. Firefighting also relies on water from public water systems to ensure public safety. Even
people who have their own private wells will visit other homes, businesses, and institutions served by a public water system. As important as public water systems
are to the quality of water we drink and our health, the majority of water produced
by public water systems is used by businesses for a variety of purposes, including
processing, cooling, and product manufacturing. The availability of adequate supplies of water is often a critical factor in attracting new industries to communities.
Public water systemsand the cities, villages, schools, and businesses they supportrely on State drinking water programs to ensure they are in compliance with
all applicable Federal requirements and the water is safe to drink. Several incidents
in the U.S. over the past several years that have led to illnesses or deaths from unsafe drinking water serve as stark reminders of the critical nature of the work that
State drinking water programs doevery dayand the dangers of inadequately
funded programs,
The PWSS Program.To meet the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA), States have accepted primary enforcement responsibility for oversight of
regulatory compliance and technical assistance efforts for over 155,000 public water

38
systems to ensure potential health-based violations do not occur or are remedied in
a timely manner. Over 90 contaminants are regulated in Federal drinking water
regulations and the pace of regulatory activity has accelerated in recent years. Beyond the contaminants covered by Federal drinking water regulations, States are
also implementing an array of proactive initiatives to protect public health from the
source to the tap. These include source water assessments and protections for communities and watersheds; technical assistance with water treatment and distribution for challenged utilities; and enhancement of overall water system performance
capabilities. In recent years, States have also taken on an increasingly prominent
role in working with Federal and local partners to help ensure sufficient water
quantity. In short, State activities go well beyond simply ensuring compliance at the
tapand, they perform all of these tasks more efficiently and cheaply than would
be the case if the program were federally implemented. In short, well supported
State programs are a good deal for America.
The DWSRF Program.Drinking water in the U.S. is among the safest and most
reliable in the world, but it is threatened by aging infrastructure. Through loans
provided by the DWSRF, States help water utilities overcome this threat. The historical payback to the DWSRF on this investment has been exceptional. In the core
DWSRF program, $15.7 billion in cumulative Federal capitalization grants since
1997 have been leveraged by States into over $25.8 billion in infrastructure loans
to small and large communities across the country (through the end of 2013). Such
investments pay tremendous dividendsboth in supporting our economy and in protecting our citizens health. Many State drinking water programs have also used
set-asides from the DWSRF to support the technical assistance and training needs
of numerous small drinking water systems and to help these water systems obtain
the technical, managerial, and financial proficiency needed to meet SDWA requirements.
State Drinking Water Security Responsibilities.State drinking water programs
are critical partners in emergency planning, response, and resiliency at all levels of
government. In fact, States are typically the critical nexus between Federal and
local levels officials in emergency situations. State primacy agencies provide key resources and critical supportregardless of whether the emergency is rooted in terrorism, natural disasters, or cyber intrusions. States continually work toward integrating security considerations throughout all aspects of their drinking water programs.
WHY INCREASED FUNDING IS URGENTLY NEEDED

State Drinking Water Programs are Hard Pressed and the Funding Gap Continues
to Grow.States must accomplish all of the above-described activitiesand take on
new responsibilitiesin the context of a challenging economic climate. This has
meant operating with less State-provided financial supportwhich has historically
compensated for inadequate Federal funding. State drinking water programs have
often been expected to do more with less and States have always responded with
commitment and integrity. However, State drinking water programs are stretched
to the breaking point. Insufficient Federal support for this critical program increases
the likelihood of a contamination event that puts the publics health at risk. Although the 1996 SDWA Amendments authorized the PWSS Program at $100 million
per year, appropriated amounts have only recently reached that authorized level
a level that now, more than 17 years from the date of those amendments, falls far
short of the amount needed. $101.9 million was appropriated for the PWSS program
in fiscal year 2014 and the administration requested only $109 million in fiscal year
2015. These amounts are woefully inadequate for the enormity of the task faced by
State drinking water programs. We believe, based on our assessments of every
States need (in a report we released in January 2014), that at least twice that
amount is needed. Inadequate Federal funding for State drinking water programs
has a number of negative consequences. Many States are simply unable to implement major provisions of the newer regulations, leaving the work undone or ceding
the responsibility back to EPA, which is also challenged by the Agencys own resource constraints and lack of on the ground expertise. This situation has created
a significant implementation crisis in several regions of the country and is ultimately delaying implementation of critically needed public health protections.
Drinking Water Infrastructure Investment is Well Below Documented Need.In
2013, the Association of Civil Engineers gave the Nations water infrastructure a
D grade and EPAs most recent National Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs
Survey (2011) indicated that drinking water system infrastructure needs total $384
billion over the next 20 years. The American Water Works Association recently estimated that 20 year need at $1 trillion. Investment is needed for aging treatment

39
plants, storage tanks, pumps, and distribution lines that carry water to our Nations
homes, businesses and schools. States are also providing, in many cases, State funding to augment Federal assistance, as the total loan figures noted above demonstrate. The DWSRF must continue to be a key part of the solution to the Nations
infrastructure crisis. Further, as mentioned earlier, States can set-aside funds
from the DWSRF (up to 31 percent of the grant) for a variety of critical tasks, such
as shoring up the technical, managerial, and financial capacity of public water systems. Set-asides are thus an essential source of funding for States public health
protection programs and these efforts work in tandem with infrastructure loans.
State Drinking Water Security Funds Are Urgently Needed.After 7 years of congressional support for State security programs through a small grant of approximately $5 million in EPAs appropriations (from fiscal year 2002 through fiscal year
2008), no funds have been provided for this purpose since fiscal year 2009 and none
are requested by the administration for fiscal year 2015. It is very difficult to understand why this small, but essential grant to States has been zeroed out of EPAs
proposed budget and why Congress has not supported State drinking water security
programs. State drinking water programs urgently need funds to continue to maintain and expand their security activities, particularly in partnership with small and
medium public water systems.
DETAILED JUSTIFICATION FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015 REQUEST LEVELS

For the PWSS Program in fiscal year 2015, ASDWA respectfully requests $200 million.The number of regulations requiring State implementation and oversight as
well as performance expectations continue to grow while at the same time, the Federal funding support necessary to maintain compliance levels and meet expectations
has been essentially flat-lined. Inflation has further eroded these inadequate funding levels. States want to offer the flexibilities allowed under existing rules/requirements to local water systems; however, fewer State resources mean less opportunity
to work one-on-one with water systems to meet their individual needs. The figure
recommended below is based on ASDWAs January 2014 resource needs report and
begins to fill the above-described resource gap. These funds are urgently needed for
implementing new drinking water rules, taking on a number of other new initiatives, and accounting for the eroding effects of inflation. We further recommend that
Congress not allow any Federal funds already appropriated to State drinking water
programs to be rescinded.
For the DWSRF Program in fiscal year 2015, ASDWA respectfully requests $1.3
billion.States were very encouraged by the $1.387 billion appropriated for the
DWSRF in fiscal year 2010 but are disappointed at the subsequent downward
trend$963 million in fiscal year 2011, $919 million in fiscal year 2012, $854 million for fiscal year 2013 (a figure not seen since 2006), and, a somewhat better $907
million in fiscal year 2014. Of particular concern to the drinking water community
is the administrations request of $757 million for fiscal year 2015; a figure we consider to be unacceptably low. The primary purpose of the DWSRF is to improve public health protection by facilitating water system compliance with national primary
drinking water regulations through the provision of loans to improve drinking water
infrastructure. Water infrastructure is needed for public health protection as well
as a sustainable economy, as explained above. States have very effectively and efficiently leveraged Federal dollars with State contributions to provide assistance to
more than 10,000 projects, improving health protection for millions of Americans.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors reports that each public dollar invested in water infrastructure increases private long-term Gross Domestic Product output by $6.35. In
light of these indicators of success and documented needs, we believe funding at the
$1.3 billion level (commensurate with the fiscal year 2010 appropriation) will better
enable the DWSRF to meet the SDWA compliance and public health protection
goals for which it was designed.
For State Drinking Water Security Programs in fiscal year 2015, ASDWA respectfully requests $10 million.Given the realities and the lessons learned from recent
catastrophic events such as Hurricane Sandy in New York and New Jersey; tornados in central Oklahoma; wildfires and floods in Colorado; and continuing drought
in Texasto name but a fewState drinking water programs are working more
closely than ever with their water utilities to evaluate, assist, and support drinking
water systems preparedness, response, and resiliency capabilities. States continue
to expand their efforts to reflect a resilient, all hazards approach to water security
and to assist public water systems of all sizeswith a particular focus on smaller
water systems that most need help.

40
CONCLUSION

ASDWA respectfully recommends that the Federal fiscal year 2015 budget needs
for States role in the provision of safe drinking water be adequately funded by Congress. A strong State drinking water program supported by the Federal-State partnership will ensure that the quality of drinking water in this country will not deteriorate and, in fact, will continue to improveso that the public can be assured that
a glass of water is safe to drink no matter where they travel or live. States are willing and committed partners. However, additional Federal financial assistance is
needed to meet ongoing and ever growing regulatory, infrastructure, and security
needs. In 1996, Congress provided the authority to ensure that the burden would
not go unsupported. For fiscal year 2015, ASDWA asks that the promise of that support be realized.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

ASSOCIATION

OF

ZOOS

AND

AQUARIUMS

Thank you Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Murkowski for allowing me to
submit written testimony on behalf of the Nations 213 U.S. accredited zoos and
aquariums. Specifically, I want to express my support for the inclusion of
$10,000,000 for the Multinational Species Conservation Funds (MSCF) operated by
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and $9.7 million for National Environmental
Education Act programs at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the fiscal
year 2015 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.
Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is a nonprofit
501c(3) organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the
areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. Accredited zoos and aquariums annually see more than 182 million visitors, collectively generate more than
$21 billion in annual economic activity, and support more than 204,000 jobs across
the country. Annually, AZA-accredited institutions spend $160,000,000 on more
than 2,650 field conservation projects in 130 countries.
MSCF programs support public-private partnerships that conserve wild tigers,
elephants, rhinos, great apes, and marine turtles in their native habitats. Through
the MSCF programs, the United States supplements the efforts of developing countries that are struggling to balance the needs of their human populations and endemic wildlife. MSCF programs help to sustain wildlife populations, address threats
such as illegal poaching, reduce human-wildlife conflict, and protect essential habitat. By working with local communities, they also improve peoples livelihoods, contribute to local and regional stability, and support U.S. security interests in impoverished regions. This Federal program benefits AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums
in their field conservation efforts and partnerships with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service.
I also encourage you to continue to support the valuable environmental education
initiatives at the EPA. Education programs at AZA-accredited institutions provide
essential learning opportunities, particularly about science, for schoolchildren in formal and informal settings. Studies have shown that American schoolchildren are
lagging behind their international peers in certain subjects including science and
math. In the last 10 years, accredited zoos and aquariums formally trained more
than 400,000 teachers, supporting science curricula with effective teaching materials
and hands-on opportunities. School field trips annually connect more than
12,000,000 students with the natural world. Increasing access to formal and informal science education opportunities has never been more important.
Finally, much of the important conservation work at accredited zoos and aquariums depends on a robust and fully staffed U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. While
I am aware of the budget challenges facing Congress and the agencies, I encourage
you to ensure that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has sufficient resources to employ qualified professionals, particularly for the programs handling permits, which
support the science-based conservation breeding and wildlife education programs
that require animals to be moved in an efficient, timely manner: International Affairs (Management Authority), Endangered Species, Law Enforcement, and Migratory Birds.
AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are essential conservation and education
partners at the Federal, State, and local levels domestically as well as internationally. To ensure that accredited zoos and aquariums can continue to serve in these
important roles, I urge you to include $10,000,000 for the Multinational Species
Conservation Funds operated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and $9.7 million
for National Environmental Education Act programs at the Environmental Protection Agency in the fiscal year 2015 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

41
Thank you.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

BRISTOL BAY AREA HEALTH CORPORATION

The requests of the Bristol Bay Area Health Corporation (BBAHC) for the fiscal
year 2015 Indian Health Service (IHS) budget are as follows:
Allocate at least an additional $8.5 million to the IHS to fully fund Village Built
Clinic (VBC) leases, and direct the IHS to use its fiscal year 2015 appropriations to fully fund the VBC leases in accordance with section 804 of the Indian
Health Care Improvement Act.
Ensure that Contract Support Costs continue to be fully funded by moving the
program to mandatory entitlement spending.
Support reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians at $200
million annually.
Allocate $50 million to the IHS from the Prevention and Public Health Fund
for tribal behavioral health grants.
Place IHS funding on an advance appropriations basis.
Improve the safety of Alaska Native communities by affirming tribal jurisdiction.
The BBAHC was created in 1973 to provide healthcare services to Alaska Natives
of Southwest Alaska. BBAHC began operating and managing the Kanakanak Hospital and the Bristol Bay Service Unit for the IHS in 1980 and was the first tribal
organization to do so under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance
Act (ISDEAA). BBAHC is a co-signer to the Alaska Tribal Health Compact with the
IHS under the ISDEAA and is now responsible for providing and promoting
healthcare to the people of 34 Alaska Native villages.
Funding for Village Built Clinics in Alaska.For the last several years, BBAHC
has submitted testimony to this subcommittee on the need to address chronic underfunding of VBCs in Alaska. VBCs are clinic facilities leased by the IHS from other
entities and are a vital component of the provision of basic healthcare services in
rural Alaska. VBCs serve as the clinic space for the Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA). The CHAP,
which IHS is directed by the IHCIA to carry out, utilizes a network of community
health aides and practitioners to provide primary healthcare services in rural and
isolated areas where access to those services might not otherwise exist.
In 1989, Congress specifically authorized the operation of 170 VBCs in Alaska and
provided approximately $3 million in funding for the program for that year. Since
then, Congress has not provided amounts specifically for VBCs in the IHS appropriation, and IHS has had discretion to fund VBCs from its lump sum appropriation. But even though the 1989 appropriation was not a cap restricting IHS allocation of funds in later years, IHS has treated it as such and has refused to increase
funding for VBC leases. Funding therefore has not kept pace with inflation or the
rising costs of healthcare in rural and isolated areas. In fact, the chronic underfunding over decades has resulted in deterioration and in some cases closure of VBC
facilities, threatening the CHAP itself and access to basic healthcare services for
rural Alaskans that hinges on the continued availability of properly maintained
VBC space.
According to an estimate calculated several years ago by the Alaska Native
Health Board and adjusted for inflation, at least $8.3 million is needed to fully fund
the VBC leasing program. However, that estimate is outdated and likely falls significantly short of the actual need. BBAHC therefore urges that Congress appropriate at least an additional $8.5 million to fully fund VBC leases and that IHS be
directed to use its existing appropriations to fully fund such leases in accordance
with section 804 of the IHCIA.
This subcommittee should also be aware that, having attempted without success
for many years to convince IHS to accept its responsibilities for the VBCs as part
of the mandated CHAP program, some tribal organizations in Alaska are taking a
new approach. The Maniilaq Association recently requested that the IHS enter into
a mandatory lease under 105(l) of the ISDEAA for one of the VBCs that Maniilaq
owns. Implementing regulations require payment under the lease to fully compensate for the costs of adequately operating and maintaining the facilities. However, the IHS refused to enter into the lease, and the matter is now being litigated.
If Maniilaq prevails, the case could establish legal precedent that will allow tribal
contractors in Alaska to negotiate for full funding for VBCs as part of their funding
agreements under the IHSs ISDEAA leasing authority. Though funding should be
provided in full through the VBC program directly, the option to enter into a 105(l)
lease must also be preserved as an alternative funding mechanism.

42
Ensure Contract Support Costs Remain Fully Funded via Mandatory Spending.
We are pleased that the administration is following the subcommittees lead, and
seeks to fully fund contract support costs (CSC) under the ISDEAA in fiscal year
2015, and we urge Congress to continue supporting that goal. Contract support costs
fund vital administrative functions that allow us to operate programs that provide
critical services to our memberssuch as dental care, urgent care in village clinics,
wide ranging community health services, and 24-hour medical care in Kanakanak
Hospital. If CSC are not fully funded, however, our programs and services are directly impacted as we are forced to divert limited program funding to cover fixed
overhead expenses instead. We therefore appreciate Congress support in fiscal year
2014 and hope that it carries through to fiscal year 2015 and beyond.
However, the CSC funding problem is not yet solved. Full funding for CSC must
not come with a penaltynamely, a reduction in program funding or effective permanent sequestration of Indian program funds. That result would have the same
devastating effect on our service delivery as the failure to fully fund CSC. Yet Congress, in the Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the fiscal year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act, noted that since [contract support costs] fall under
discretionary spending, they have the potential to impact all other programs funded
under the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, including other equally important tribal programs. Moreover, without any permanent measure to ensure full
funding, payment of CSC remains subject to agency discretion from year to year,
even though tribes are legally entitled to full payment under the ISDEAA. Noting
these ongoing conflicts of law, Congress directed the agencies to consult with tribes
on a permanent solution.
In our view, there is a logical permanent solution which Congress is empowered
to implement: CSC should be appropriated as a mandatory entitlement. Under the
ISDEAA, the full payment of CSC is not discretionary; it is a legal obligation, affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court. Yet the budget authority for CSC is currently
provided and controlled through appropriation actsas if it were a discretionary
program. Congress recognized that the current fundamental mismatch between the
mandatory nature of CSC and the current appropriation approach leaves both the
House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in the untenable position of appropriating discretionary funds for the payment of any legally obligated contract
support costs. As the Joint Explanatory Statement also noted, Typically obligations of this nature are addressed through mandatory spending. The obvious solution then is to bring the appropriations process in line with the statutory requirements and to recognize CSC for what it is: a mandatory entitlement, not a discretionary program. We therefore strongly urge the Congress to move to appropriate
funding for CSC on a mandatory basis.
Reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program.While the entitlement funding for the
Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) is not part of the IHS appropriations
process, those funds are administered through the IHS. With the recent enactment
into law of a 1-year extension of the SDPI as part of the Medicare doc fix bill (Public Law 11393), it is funded through fiscal year 2015 at $150 million, minus a 2
percent reduction ($3 million) due to the sequestration of non-exempt mandatory
programs (Public Law 112240). This funding level has not increased since 2004.
The SDPI has proven highly effective in Indian country, and has produced excellent
results. For example, in the 4 years preceding the last report on the SDPI in 2011,
the average blood sugar level dropped nearly a percentage point overall, corresponding to a 40 percent decline in the risk of eye, kidney, and nerve complications due to diabetes. We ask that you support ongoing efforts to reauthorize this
program for a 5-year period at an annual funding level of $200 million.
Increase Funding for Behavioral Health, Suicide Prevention, and Alcohol and Substance Abuse Treatment.Alaska faces particular hardships in providing for our
communities behavioral and mental health. There is a dire need for more prevention funding for suicide intervention as well as alcohol and substance abuse prevention, particularly for our youth. These efforts go hand in hand, as the problems often
overlap. Alaska has twice the national rate of suicide, and ranks second in the Nation in suicide attempts requiring hospitalization. Alaska Native teens commit suicide at a rate nearly six times that of non-Native teenagers. The suicide rate among
all Alaskans increased by 33 percent between 20052008a period when the national rate remained steady. Compounding and complicating the suicide epidemic is
alcohol and substance abuse, or a mental health disorder. The overwhelming majority of the people we lose to suicide suffer from diagnosable, treatable mental health
or substance abuse problems. However, the waiting list for treatment averages nearly 9 months, and due to lack of funding there is often no place to refer people, particularly young people.

43
Alcohol and substance abuse contributes to myriad other problems as well, including crime, domestic violence, child abuse or neglect. Oftentimes, tribes in Alaska
have a difficult time working through the State of Alaska to provide these services,
which adds layers of guidelines, regulations, and reduced funding. We have found
that tribes and tribal organizations should receive behavioral funds directly, because
programs that implement traditional cultural values are more successful than those
that dont. Included in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is mandatory funding ($17.7
billion over 10 years) for a Prevention and Public Health (PPH) Fund from which
Congress may allocate funding to various programs. In fiscal year 2012 the administration requested that $50 million of it be allocated to a new tribal behavioral health
grant program; unfortunately Congress did not provide that allocation. We urge that
Congress allocate $50 million to the IHS in fiscal year 2015 for this purpose and
that it be recurring.
IHS on an Advance Appropriations Basis.We support legislation that would
place the IHS budget on an advance appropriations basis. The goal is for the IHS
and tribal healthcare providers to have adequate advance notice of the amount of
Federal appropriations to expect and thus not be subjected to the uncertainties of
late funding and short-term continuing resolutions. Congress provides advance appropriations for the Veterans Administration medical accounts, and the request is
for parity in the appropriations schedule for the IHS. Legislation to authorize IHS
advance appropriations has been introducedH.R. 3229 by Representative Young
and S. 1570 by Senators Murkowski and Begich.
Support Tribal Jurisdiction To Protect Alaska Communities.We support the ongoing efforts to amend S. 1474, the Alaska Safe Families and Villages Act, in a manner that would recognize Alaska tribes jurisdiction to protect their communities by
dealing locally with domestic violence, sexual assault and drug and alcohol abuse.
At the same time, we greatly appreciate the provision that is already in S. 1474
which would repeal section 910 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization
that left Alaska tribes out of the expanded tribal jurisdiction over domestic violence
affirmed in that law. These changes will require additional Bureau of Indian Affairs
resources regarding law enforcement and courts. We look forward to continued work
with our congressional delegation and others on this legislation of such crucial importance to Alaska Native communities.
Thank you for your consideration of our requests. We will be glad to provide any
additional information the subcommittee may request.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

JAY BUSHNELL

APRIL 4, 2014.
To: Hon. Jack Reed, Chair of Senate Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment
and Related Agencies
From: Dr. Jay Bushnell, immediate past president and advocacy chair, Friends of
the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuges
Re: Support the 2015 $476 million proposed budget for the National Wildlife Refuge
System
I would encourage your subcommittee to develop a plan to eventually fully fund
the refuge system. The proposed budget of $476 million is a small step in that direction. This does not represent a major increase in funding from what has been budgeted since 2007. Yet over the last 7 years the refuge system has increased from
some 500 to over 561 refuges. It has become increasing difficult, if not impossible,
to fulfill the refuge mission as outlined in the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 with continued budget constraints. The predicted cut in positions continues to plague the refuge system and specifically hampers the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Key National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs).
While the primary mission of the refuge system is focused on wildlife conservation, it is also important to recognize that the system is an economic engine. The
report Banking on Nature points out that in 2011 for every dollar invested there
was a return of $4.87 to the local communities. Over 70 percent of the revenue contributed came from non-local visitors who were attracted to non-consumptive activities like wildlife viewing, photography and hiking in the refuges. The fact that the
Friends of the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys NWR are having 3,0004,000 folks
visiting our Web page each month verifies the fact that we are reaching a large nonlocal crowd (please check us out at friendsofrefuges.org). Funding of the refuge system should be considered an investment with a great rate of return.
The Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys NWRs have four positions that have not
been refilled, including a designated biologist we have been without since 2006

44
when I first started volunteering, and now a full time law enforcement officer. We
also face the possibility of not acquiring a critical piece of land that has been on
the approved U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) acquisition list. Some 2,000 acres
that are a part of what is referred to Caber property are now on the market. This
has been considered a vital acquisition for the Land and Water Conservation Fund
portion of the proposed budget.
The Lower Suwannee NWR comprises over 52,000 acres that are split by the historic Suwannee River for the last 2025 miles where the river empties into the Gulf
of Mexico. The Cedar Keys NWR is composed of some 727 acres on 13 islands in
the Gulf of Mexico. Because of their non-contiguous nature, both refuges face challenging management issues.
The Lower Suwannee NWR is special and unique in the following ways:
The pristine natural condition of the refuge helps protect the environmental
health of the Suwannee River and the surrounding area.
The Suwannee River is home to a wide variety of plant and animal life. The
river is the most important spawning ground for the protected gulf sturgeon.
The river is also an important habitat for the endangered manatee.
The refuge contains a unique combination of upland hardwood, wetland/swamp,
and saltwater marsh habitats. Uniquely, one can find both temperate and tropical types of vegetation in the refuge.
The refuge provides habitat for a wide variety of birds including 15 endangered
or threatened species like the bald eagle. The refuge is an important nesting
site for the short-tailed hawks of which there are only an estimated 200 mating
pairs in the wild. The swallowtail kite, once widespread, now is restricted to
just the southeastern portion of the United States with the refuge being a very
important nesting site.
Combined with surrounding State parks, the refuge will become an even more
important conservation area as Floridas population increases.
With constructed bat houses, the refuge has successfully established a viable
bat population that serves as a model for future bat projects.
Many important cultural heritage sites are also to be found in the refuge.
The Cedar Keys NWR is special and unique in the following ways:
The 727-acre refuge composed of 13 islands is a major rookery for pelicans and
a wide variety of shore birds.
As studied by the University of Floridas Florida Marine Center, of particular
interest is the symbiotic relationship of cottonmouth moccasins and nesting
birds on Seahorse Key. The moccasins provide protection from predators like
raccoons and rats for the nesting birds. In return, the birds provide a steady
diet of fish for the moccasins. This is the only place on earth that such a relationship between snakes and birds exists.
The Lower Suwannee Archaeological Survey of the University of Florida has uncovered prehistorical sites dating back over 4,000 years.
Historically, the refuge contains important historical structures including the
Seahorse Key Lighthouse designed in the 1850s by Lieutenant George Meade,
later to become General Meade of Gettysburg fame. It is also of interest that
the lighthouse sits on a natural dune that is some 50 feet above sea level.
This makes it one of the highest points in the Big Bend area of Florida.
This refuge also provides a vital barrier island system.
Presently, the most critical problem we face involves staffing. With adequate staffing, along with operational funding, the refuge staff, with the help of the Friends
of the Lower Suwannee and Cedar Keys NWR, would be able to:
Provide better monitoring of the health of the refuges habitat;
Consistently police the proper utilization of the resources of the refuges and to
protect the habitat and its wildlife;
Conduct more programs for school children to learn about conservation;
Expand the conservation efforts across other public agencies as well as private
stakeholders to deal with common problems like invasive species eradication
and the protection of endangered species;
Upgrade and maintain public facilities like roads, docks, boardwalks, observation stations and signage;
Expand public access and use of the refuges; and
Monitor, manage, and protect the flora and fauna in the refuges.
Thank you for considering these requests.

45
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

CENTER

FOR

BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

Chairman Reed, Senator Murkowski, and members of the subcommittee, thank

you for the opportunity to submit written testimony. I am Brett Hartl, endangered
species policy director at the Center for Biological Diversity. The Center is a nonprofit environmental organization focused on the protection of native species and
their habitats through science, policy and environmental law. The Center has more
than 775,000 members and online activists dedicated to the protection and restoration of imperiled plants and wildlife, open space, air and water quality.
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) is Americas strongest environmental law. It
has prevented the extinction of 99 percent of the 1,500 domestic species it protects.
Were it not for the Act, scientists estimate that 227 of these plants and animals
would have disappeared by 2006, and even more by 2012. The Act also has had considerable success moving species towards recovery. A 2011 study by the Center identified 110 listed species that have seen substantial recovery with Endangered Species Act protection, with over 90 percent of these species recovering at the rate projected in their recovery plan.
However, not all species have approved recovery plans yet, and some species with
recovery plans continue to decline. The Services 2010 report to Congress indicated
that approximately 339 threatened and endangered species are still declining towards extinction. As the extinction crisis worsens due to threats including climate
change, many other once-common species, such as monarch butterflies and greater
sage-grouse, have experienced major population declines and may need to be listed
in the future.
Simply put, Federal funding has not kept up with the biological needs of listed
species in the United States. The Fish and Wildlife Service received $170.5 million
for endangered species in fiscal year 2014 to conserve approximately 1,500 protected
species. By comparison, the National Marine Fisheries Service received $176 million
to conserve approximately 180 species protected by the ESA and Marine Mammal
Protection Act. And the U.S. Agency for International Development received $184
million for biodiversity conservation internationally. The Center has identified three
areas where funding beyond what is proposed for the Fish and Wildlife Service in
the Presidents 2015 budget proposal is required to address the continuing extinction crisis in the United States: (1) listing of endangered species; (2) species recovery
funding; and (3) land acquisition for endangered species.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR LISTING UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE ESA

Protecting a species as threatened or endangered is the keystone of the ESA because it is only after a species is listed that it receives meaningful protections under
the Act. In fact, the length of time a species has been protected and has had designated critical habitat significantly increase the likelihood a species will improve.
Species designated as candidates for protection due to lack of funding, are far
more likely to become extinct. Most recently, the Tacoma pocket gopher (Thomomys
mazama tacomensis) was declared extinct in 2014. The species was first identified
as declining in 1985 and declared a candidate for ESA protection in 2001. But its
last populations winked out while waiting for ESA protections.
Although the Service has long-struggled to list species according to the deadlines
established by the ESA, the backlog of candidate species that warrant protection
under the Act greatly increased following the moratorium imposed on listing in
1995. Since then, Congress has imposed a funding cap on the amount of money the
Service can spend in a year on listing. Currently, using the best-available science,
the Service has identified 146 candidate species that warrant protection under the
ESA, but for which funding is insufficient to complete the listing process. Some of
these species, such as the band-rumped storm-petrel and Great Basin Columbia
spotted frog, have awaited protections since 1989. Many more have waited for ESA
protections since the early 1990s.
Funding for listing peaked in fiscal year 2010 at $22.1 million and has since fallen
by 10 percent. Hamstringing the Service budget does not further the recovery of any
of these candidate species. Instead, delaying listing invariably leads to greater population declines, making recovery harder, longer, and more costly to achieve. The
facts have demonstrated that for nearly all endangered species, the only path to recovery has been through protection under the ESA. The more quickly species are
listed, the more quickly recovery planning and recovery work can begin, and the
faster species can be delisted as recovered.
The current average cost of completing the listing process for a candidate species
under the ESA is approximately $650,000. Raising the budget subcap from the fiscal
year 2014 level of $20 million to $30 million a year would allow the Service to completely address the listing backlog and address all candidate species in the next 3

46
years. Eliminating the backlog would not only provide an immediate conservation
benefit to these species, but would also potentially allow the Service to more efficiently list species moving forward. Because funding has historically been insufficient to complete the listing process, the Service must add an additional step in the
listing process and publish a separate 12-month finding that the species is warranted-but-precludedand each of these 12-month findings costs $100,000. Eliminating the backlog would save the Service $100,000/species and would allow the
Service to use the more-streamlined process already employed by the Service when
it delists recovered species.
FUNDING FOR RECOVERY

The purpose of the ESA is not only to save species from extinction but also to
recover them to the point that the protections provided by the Act are no longer necessary. Recovering species under the ESA requires the Fish and Wildlife Service to
address and alleviate the threats that caused a species to decline in the first instance, including controlling invasive species, restoring degraded habitat, reducing
illegal poaching, reintroducing new populations, and other forms of intensive management. All recovery actions are costly, especially with new and growing threats
such as climate change. As shown in Figure 1, funding for recovery in inflation-adjusted dollars has remained flat to declining.
Figure 1.Recovery Funding Fiscal Year 1989 to Fiscal Year 2014

As the extinction crisis continues and more species need protection under the
ESA, the average amount of money available per species continues to decline. In
real dollars, the average amount in inflation-adjusted dollars spent per species on
recovery peaked in 1999 at $40,915 per species and has since dropped to $30,090/
species. Nearly 150 listed species receive less than $1,000 per year, or three dollars
per day, to address their recovery and almost 100 species are getting no money at
all. Many of the species that the Service has identified as declining are those that
receive little to zero funding per year.
If Congress wants to see more species recovered more quickly, then it should restore all of the cuts to ESA recovery funding that have occurred in the past 5 years
and provide additional funding to the Service moving forward. First, Congress
should restore full funding to the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation
Fund (CESCF). In 2001, Congress allocated $104.7 million to the CESCF and has
since reduced funding to this program by 47 percent to a level of only $50.1 million.
This program provides valuable conservation tools and funding to States, territories
and private landowners to participate in a wide array of conservation projects for
candidate and listed. Cutting this program dis-empowers States and makes it hard-

47
er for them to meaningfully participate in the conservation and recovery of endangered species.
Figure 2.Average Recovery Funding/Species Fiscal Year 1989 to Fiscal Year 2014
Species

Second, Congress should significantly increase the amount of funding for recovery
by ensuring that each listed species receives at least $7,500 each year in direct recovery funding. Doing so would require Congress to provide at minimum, an additional $26 million per year in recovery funding. This would better ensure that endangered species that are continuing to decline receive some attention each year
from conservation professionals.
The longer a species is in crisis, the more expensive it becomes for that species
to fully recover. Failing to ensure that each species receives a nominal amount of
money for recovery makes recovery of declining species much less likely. Increasing
the overall funding for recovery will prevent species from declining to the point
where listing is necessary and will reduce the amount of recovery work that Fish
and Wildlife will have to do down the road.
LAND ACQUISITION

For listed species with finalized recovery plans, approximately 450 plans have
identified land acquisitions (either through outright purchase or the securing of
easements) as priority actions that would improve the conservation status of those
listed species. For example, the El Segundo blue butterfly population size has increased by 22,312 percent since it was protected by the ESA in 1984. However, the
butterflys recovery plan states that until four parcels of expensive, coastal land
near the Los Angeles International Airport can be secured through purchase or acquisition, this species probably cannot be either downlisted to threatened or considered recovered. Simply put, land conservation could significantly improve the recovery rate of listed species.
Funding available through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to secure habitat for endangered species has simply not kept up with the biological need.
The Center recommends that Congress amend the Land and Water Conservation
Fund Act to (1) make all money that is authorized for land acquisition each year
immediately available in full without further appropriation, and (2) that the conservation fund cap be indexed to the amount of royalties and revenues received from
oil and gas development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
In 1968, Congress first made revenues from OCS development part of the conservation fund and set the annual authorization level at $200 million. At that time,

48
OCS revenues were approximately $500 million per year.1 In other words, the conservation fund was authorized to use around 40 percent of the annual revenue
stream from the OCS. In 1977, after OCS revenues increased to $4 billion/year,2
Congress increased the authorized level of the fund to $900 million. This authorization represented approximately 22.5 percent of total OCS annual revenues. Since
1977, the conservation fund authorization amount has remained at $900 million
while the total revenues from the OCS have continued to rise and are now reaching
levels of up to $9 billion/year. The percentage of OCS revenues potentially going into
the conservation fund has dropped from 40 percent of annual OCS receipts in 1968,
to only 6 percent in 2014.
Increasing the conservation fund to 22.5 percent of current OCS revenues would
mean that approximately $2.025 billion would be available each year for land acquisition. Providing this full amount for land acquisition would allow the entire Department of Interior to address its priority land acquisitions. While this increase is substantial, it is important to remember that the purchasing power of the conservation
fund has diminished because the average cost of land acquisition has risen nearly
ten-fold from an average of $162 per acre in the 1960s to $1,515 per acre in the
2000s. At current funding levels, the Fish and Wildlife Service estimates that it
would take 44 to 75 years to acquire the land that has already been identified as
priority acquisitions by the Service. Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

CENTRAL ARIZONA PROJECT

On behalf of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District (CAWCD), I encourage you to include $5.2 million for general water quality improvement efforts within
the Colorado River Basin and an additional $1.5 million for salinity specific projects
in the Bureau of Land Managements (BLM) Soil, Water and Air Program in fiscal
year 2015. This funding will help protect the water quality of the Colorado River
that is used by approximately 40 million people for municipal and industrial purposes and used to irrigate approximately 4 million acres in the United States.
CAWCD manages the Central Arizona Project, a multi-purpose water resource development and management project that delivers Colorado River water into central
and southern Arizona. The largest supplier of renewable water in Arizona, CAP diverts an average of over 1.6 million acre-foot of Arizonas 2.8 million acre-foot Colorado River entitlement each year to municipal and industrial users, agricultural irrigation districts, and Indian communities.
Our goal at CAP is to provide an affordable, reliable and sustainable supply of
Colorado River water to a service area that includes more than 80 percent of Arizonas population.
These renewable water supplies are critical to Arizonas economy and to the
economies of Native American communities throughout the State. Nearly 90 percent
of economic activity in the State of Arizona occurs within CAPs service area. CAP
also helps the State of Arizona meet its water management and regulatory objectives of reducing groundwater use and ensuring availability of groundwater as a
supplemental water supply during future droughts. Achieving and maintaining
these water management objectives is critical to the long-term sustainability of a
State as arid as Arizona.
NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF CONCENTRATED SALTS

Natural and man-induced salt loading to the Colorado River creates environmental and economic damages. EPA has identified that more than 60 percent of the
salt load of the Colorado River comes from natural sources. The majority of land
within the Colorado River Basin is federally owned, much of which is administered
by BLM. Human activity, principally irrigation, adds to salt load of the Colorado
River. Further, natural and human activities concentrate the dissolved salts in the
River.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has estimated the current quantifiable damages at about $295 million per year to U.S. users with projections that
damages would increase to more than $500 million by 2030 if the program were not
to continue. These damages include:
a reduction in the yield of salt sensitive crops and increased water use to meet
the leaching requirements in the agricultural sector;
1 S.
2 S.

Rep. No. 901071, at 2618 (1968), reprinted in 1968 U.S.C.C.A.N. 2613, 2618.
Rep. No. 95162, at 8 (1977), reprinted in 1977 U.S.C.C.A.N. 322, 328.

49
increased use of imported water and cost of desalination and brine disposal for
recycling water in the municipal sector;
a reduction in the useful life of galvanized water pipe systems, water heaters,
faucets, garbage disposals, clothes washers, and dishwashers, and increased use
of bottled water and water softeners in the household sector;
an increase in the cost of cooling operations and the cost of water softening, and
a decrease in equipment service life in the commercial sector;
an increase in the use of water and the cost of water treatment, and an increase
in sewer fees in the industrial sector;
a decrease in the life of treatment facilities and pipelines in the utility sector;
and
difficulty in meeting wastewater discharge requirements to comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit terms and conditions,
and an increase in desalination and brine disposal costs due to accumulation
of salts in groundwater basins.
Adequate funding for salinity control will prevent the water quality of the Colorado River from further degradation and avoid significant increases in economic
damages to municipal, industrial and irrigation users.
HISTORY OF THE BLM COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY CONTROL PROGRAM

In implementing the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974, Congress
recognized that most of the salts in the Colorado River originate from federally
owned lands. Title I of the Salinity Control Act deals with the U.S. commitment to
the quality of waters being delivered to Mexico. Title II of the Act deals with improving the quality of the water delivered to users in the United States. This testimony deals specific with title II efforts. In 1984, Congress amended the Salinity
Control Act and directed that the Secretary of the Interior develop a comprehensive
program for minimizing salt contributions to the Colorado River from lands administered by BLM.
In 2000, Congress reiterated its directive to the Secretary and requested a report
on the implementation of BLMs program (Public Law 106459). In 2003, BLM employed a Salinity Coordinator to increase BLM efforts in the Colorado River Basin
and to pursue salinity control studies and to implement specific salinity control
practices. With a significant portion of the salt load of the Colorado River coming
from BLM administered lands, the BLM portion of the overall program is essential
to the success of the effort. Inadequate BLM salinity control efforts will result in
significant additional economic damages to water users downstream.
The threat of salinity continues to be a concern in both the United States and
Mexico. On November 20, 2012, a 5-year agreement, known as Minute 319, was
signed between the U.S. and Mexico to guide future management of the Colorado
River. Among the key issues addressed in Minute 319 included an agreement to
maintain current salinity management and existing salinity standards. The CAWCD
and other key water providers are committed to meeting these goals.
CONCLUSION

Implementation of salinity control practices through BLM Program has proven to

be a very cost effective method of controlling the salinity of the Colorado River. In
fact, the salt load of the Colorado River has now been reduced by roughly 1.2 million
tons annually, reducing salinity in the Lower Basin by more than 100 ppm. However, shortfalls in funding levels have led to inefficiencies in the implementation of
the overall Program. Therefore, additional funding is required in 2015 to meet this
goal and prevent further degradation of the quality of the Colorado River with a
commensurate increase in downstream economic damages.
CAWCD urges the subcommittee to include $5.2 million for general water quality
improvement efforts within the Colorado River Basin and an additional $1.5 million
for salinity specific projects in the Bureau of Land Managements (BLM) Soil, Water
and Air Program. If adequate funds are not appropriated, significant damages from
the higher salt concentrations in the water will be more widespread in the United
States and Mexico.

50
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

CENTRAL UTAH WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT

APRIL 3, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
GENE SHAWCROFT, P.E.,
Deputy General Manager.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

CHILDRENS ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH NETWORK

The Childrens Environmental Health Network (CEHN or the Network) is pleased

to have this opportunity to submit testimony on fiscal year 2015 appropriations for
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). We seek funding levels of $9 billion for EPA
and $76.2 million for ATSDR.
CEHN urges the subcommittee to provide funding at or above the requested levels
for the following EPA activities:
Office of Childrens Health Protection
Childrens Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Centers
Office of Research & Development
School and Child Care Environmental Health
The Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units
CEHN also urges the restoration of the State Indoor Radon Grants and full funding of all activities that advance healthy school and childcare environments for all
children, including those supported by ATSDR.
The Networks mission is to protect the developing child from environmental hazards and promote a healthier environment. The Networks Board and committee
members include internationally-respected experts in childrens environmental
health science and policy. We recognize that children, in our society, have unique
moral standing.
Todays children are facing the distressing possibility that they may be the first
generation to see a shorter life expectancy than their parents due to poor health.
Key contributors to this trend are the modern pediatric epidemics of obesity, asthma, learning disabilities, and autism. For all of these conditions, the childs environment plays a role in causing, contributing to or mitigating these chronic conditions.

51
The estimated costs of environmental disease in children (such as lead poisoning,
childhood cancer, and asthma) were $76.6 billion in 2008.1
Investments in programs that protect and promote childrens health will be repaid
by healthier children with brighter futures. Thus it is vital that the Federal programs and activities that protect children from environmental hazards receive adequate resources.
As epidemiologists see increasing rates of asthma, learning disabilities, and childhood cancers; as parents seek the causes of birth defects; as researchers understand
more and more about the fetal origins of disease, policy makers must do a much
better job of understanding and acting on the connections between childrens health
and the environments in which they spend their time.
These environments include, but go beyond, home, school, and childcare settings.
A growing number of studies are finding unexpected impacts of prenatal environmental exposures on health in later years. For example, prenatal exposures to either
a common air pollutant or a common pesticide have each been linked to lower IQs
and poorer working memory at age 7.
Thus, all agencies should assure that their childrens programs build on and respond to the growing evidence of the importance of prenatal and early life exposures
to a childs health and future.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

A variety of factors, such as childrens developing systems, their unique behaviors,

and differing exposures, mean that children can be more susceptible than adults to
harm from toxic chemicals. Standards and guidelines that are based on adults cannot be assumed to be protective of children. The EPA programs of highest importance in the protection of children are described below.
EPAs Office of Childrens Health Protection (OCHP).OCHP has been leading
EPAs efforts to protect children from environmental hazards since 1997. Despite an
effective track record, funding for OCHP has been level, at approximately $6 million, since its creation. OCHP focuses on interagency work that promotes healthy
housing and healthy children. These areas show that environmental interventions
result in great cost savings, not to mention the health problems averted, such as
asthma episodes and lead poisoning cases. There is great interest but few resources
for these approaches. We urge increased funding for this vital office.
Childrens Environmental Health & Disease Prevention Research Centers.These
Centers, jointly funded by EPA and NIEHS, play a key role in providing the scientific basis for protecting children from environmental hazards. With their modest
budgets, which have been unchanged for more than 10 years, these centers generate
valuable research. It was these centers, for example, that generated the findings
mentioned earlier about connections between prenatal exposures and lower IQ at
age 7.
Several Centers have established longitudinal cohorts, which in some cases are
more than 10 years old. The ability to look for linkages between exposures and
health outcomes in infants, toddlers, and, now, adolescents, is vital. If these cohorts
are disbanded due to funding cuts, at best it will take years and untold resources
before it is possible to replicate them. Few if any longitudinal cohort studies on adolescents, puberty and environmental exposures exist. The Network is concerned that
inadequate funding may result in the loss of these valuable cohorts. We urge the
subcommittee to support these centers at $33 million in fiscal year 2015.
Office of Research & Development (ORD).This office is critical in efforts to understand environmental impacts on childrens health. EPA has pledged to increase
its efforts to provide a safe and healthy environment for children by ensuring that
all EPA regulations, standards, policies, and risk assessments take into account
childhood vulnerabilities to environmental chemicals. We encourage additional
funds for research on childrens issues in fiscal year 2015. We ask that your subcommittee direct the office to improve transparency by tracking and reporting on
the funding and research across the office dedicated to childrens environmental
health.
Childrens environmental health is an issue that cuts across all of ORDs programs. For example, EPAs National Health and Environmental Effects Research
Laboratory scientists are protecting childrens health through the development of
cost-effective methods to test and rank chemicals for their potential to cause developmental neurotoxicity. To date, only a small number of the thousands of chemicals
currently in commerce have been assessed for their potential toxicity and for their
1 Trasande, Liu Y. Reducing The Staggering Costs Of Environmental Disease In Children,
Estimated At $76.6 Billion In 2008, Health Affairs. No. (2011): doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2010.1239.

52
effects on the childs developing nervous system. These new testing methods can
screen in hours to days instead of months to years and will provide faster, less expensive ways of assessing potential toxicity.
These new testing methods, however, do not replace the need for continued research in childhood exposures and health effects. Much of the research in this field
cannot be conducted in a short timeframe and requires sustained funding if scientists are to conduct research and measure effectiveness.
State Radon Grants.Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers,
and the EPA reports that it is one of the most serious public health problems in
the United States, responsible for up to 21,000 lung cancer deaths annually. While
we applaud the Agencys continued work on indoor air quality, asthma, and its
plans to continue to lead on radon activities, we are not convinced that the way
to do so is to eliminate the State Indoor Radon Grants. We urge you to restore this
program.
School and Child Care Environmental Health.In America today, millions of children, often as young as 6 weeks, spend 4050 hours a week in childcare. Yet, little
is known about the environmental health status of the Nations childcare centers
or how to assure that these facilities are protecting this highly vulnerable group of
children. Environmental health is rarely if ever considered in licensing regulations
or in training childcare professionals. Similarly, about 54 million children and nearly 7 million adults 20 percent of the total U.S. populationspend up to 40 hours
per week inside school facilities every week. Unfortunately, many of these facilities
contain unsafe environmental conditions that harm childrens health and undermine
attendance, achievement, and productivity. Thus, it is vital that EPA maintain and
expand its activities for healthy school and child care settings, such as the Indoor
Air Quality Tools for Schools program.
Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units.Pediatric Environmental Health
Specialty Units (PEHSUs) form a valuable resource network for parents and clinicians around the Nation. They are funded jointly by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and the EPA with a very modest budget.
PEHSU professionals provide medical consultation to healthcare professionals from
individual cases of exposure to advice regarding large-scale community issues.
PEHSUs also provide information and resources to school, child care, health and
medical, and community groups and help inform policymakers by providing data
and background on local or regional environmental health issues and implications
for specific populations or areas. We urge the subcommittee to provide adequate
funding for both EPAs and ATSDRs portions of this program.
ATSDR

CEHN urges the subcommittee to provide funding at or above the requested levels
for ATSDR activities. ATSDR uses the best science in taking public health actions,
such as site assessments and toxicological profiles, to prevent harmful exposures
and diseases of communities and individuals related to toxic substances.
ATSDR understands that in communities faced with contamination of their water,
soil, air, or food, infants and children can be more sensitive to environmental exposure than adults and that assessment, prevention, and efforts to find remedies for
exposures must focus on children because of their vulnerability and importance to
the Nations future. We support the full funding of ATSDR and the continuation of
their varied responsibilities.
CHILDRENS HEALTH AND HEALTHY CHILDREN MUST BE ON-GOING PRIORITIES FOR THIS
AND EVERY ADMINISTRATION

We have seen much progress in recognizing the impact of environmental toxicants

on childrens health. Much more remains to be done, however. The Network urges
the subcommittee to direct both agencies to assure that all of their activities and
programsincluding regulations, guidelines, assessments and researchspecifically
consider children.
EPA and ATSDR must always assure that children and other vulnerable subpopulations are protected, especially poor children, minority children, farmworker
children, and others at risk.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on these critical issues, and
thank you for your concern about the environmental health of children.

53
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

CHOCTAW NATION

OF

OKLAHOMA

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity
to provide written testimony on the fiscal year 2015 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations for the Indian Health Service (IHS) and Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). On behalf of Chief Gary Batton, I submit this testimony which
identifies the funding priorities and budget issues important to the citizens of Choctaw. We request that the subcommittee work with tribes and not allow tribal programs in the Indian Health Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs, as well as
throughout the entire Federal Government, to incur further sequestration budget
decreases and across the board rescissions that are not imposed on other beneficiaries of the Federal budget.
We recommend the following:
Indian Health Service
1. Joint Venture ProgramIncrease Presidents Request to $170 million.
2. Special Diabetes Program for IndiansReauthorize for 5 years at $200 million/
year.
3. Restore Funding to the Office of Tribal Self-Governance$6 million.
Indian Health Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs
1. Contract Support CostsFull Funding with an Annual Special Appropriation.
2. Restore Sequestered Funds and Exempt Tribes from Future Sequestration.
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is the third largest Native American tribal government in the United States, with over 208,000 members. The Choctaw Nation territory consists of all or part of 10 counties in southeast Oklahoma, and we are
proudly one of the States largest employers. The nation operates numerous programs and services under Self-Governance compacts with the United States, including but not limited to: a sophisticated health system serving over 33,000 patients
with a hospital in Talihina, Oklahoma, eight outpatient clinics, referred specialty
care and sanitation facilities construction; higher education; Johnson OMalley program; housing improvement; child welfare and social services; law enforcement; and
many others.
JOINT VENTURE PROGRAMINCREASE PRESIDENTS REQUEST TO $170 MILLION

The Joint Venture Construction Program (JVCP) allows IHS to enter into agreements with tribes that construct their own health facilities. The funding for the construction of the health facility comes from the tribe using their resources, financing
or other funding sources with the exception of the IHS healthcare facility construction appropriations. Tribes apply for the JVCP during a competitive process and
projects that are approved enter into agreements with IHS. Upon projected completion of construction by the respective tribe, the IHS agrees to request congressional
appropriations for additional staffing and operations based on the tribes projected
dates of completion, fully executed beneficial occupancy and opening.
The Presidents proposed level of $85 million will not support the intent of the
JVCP and should be increased to $170 million at a minimum. Between fiscal year
2001 and fiscal year 2012, 17 joint venture project agreements signed by IHS and
tribes were initiated and 9 have been completed. The interest of tribes to assume
the cost and build or repair the facilities represents the viability of the JVCP and
the future of healthcare access and delivery of services in American Indian and
Alaska Native rural and remote communities.
Another key element to a successful JVCP partnership is full payment of contract
support costs. Without reimbursement of contract support cost, offsetting program
reductions must be made and services are reduced. Upon entering an agreement the
IHS should include staffing and contract support costs in the IHS annual appropriations requests to ensure that the facility can open and begin operations as planned.
SPECIAL DIABETES PROGRAM FOR INDIANSSUPPORT 5 YEAR REAUTHORIZATION AT $200
MILLION/YEAR

The Choctaw Nation would like to thank the U.S. House of Representatives for
passing H.R. 4302, Protecting Access to Medicare Act, which includes the extension
of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) through 2015 at the current
level of $150 million. Although we requested that Congress reauthorize the program
for 5 years and increase the funding to $200 million a year, we are grateful that
you sustained the program which allows us an opportunity to continue our advocacy
for an extended reauthorization period.
Since the program was initially authorized in 1997 there has been tremendous improvement in the status of diabetes, as well as building a desperately needed infra-

54
structure for diabetes throughout American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
SDPI funding is not part of the IHS appropriations process, but the funds are administered through IHS. The success can be attributed to nearly 400 Indian Health
Service, Tribal and Urban (I/T/U) Indian health programs who have assisted in developing innovative and culturally appropriate strategies, vital resources and tools
to prevent and treat diabetes.
Congressional funding remains the critical factor in the battle against diabetes
and we request that you urge your colleagues to extend the reauthorization to 5
years and increase funding to $200 million for the SDPI program.
RESTORE FUNDING TO THE OFFICE OF TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNANCE (OTSG)$6 MILLION

In 2003 Congress reduced funding for OTSG by $4.5 million in addition to congressional rescissions in 2005 and 2006 to total more than a 50 percent cut. In the
recent Murray/Ryan spending plan OTSG was cut another $1 million. Self-Governance was permanently authorized in the IHS under Public Law 106260; Tribal
Self-Governance Amendments of 2000 which increased the responsibilities of the
OTSG, yet with the reduction in funding it is not able to fulfill the legal requirements under the law. In addition, there are now 341 tribes and 84 compacts and
109 funding agreements in Self-Governance and OTSG distributes approximately
$980 million to Self-Governance tribes. We request that you restore the $6 million
cut to OTSG to fulfill legal requirements under title V of Public Law 106260.
CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTSFULL FUNDING WITH AN ANNUAL SPECIAL APPROPRIATION

Full funding of contract support cost in the fiscal year 2014 and fiscal year 2015
budgets is timely and appreciated. However, funding for tribal programs is seriously
impacted. Although our requests to honor the contracts and the compacts and pay
full contract support costs have been fulfilled, it has come at a price that is insurmountable and detrimental to past, present and future tribal program funding. And,
even though CSC claims are paid from the Judgment Fund, the day-to-day cost of
tribes doing business with the Federal Government has forever compromised how
tribal governments operate and provide essential services to our citizens.
The Choctaw Nation is requesting that contract support costs be an annual special appropriation that is not tied to the Operations of Indian Programs account
or the Indian Health Service funding. While it is true that contract support costs
is based on the programs, services, functions and activities tribes include in the contracts or compacts with the agencies, most of these funding agreements are multiyear and the levels can be computed beforehand for inclusion in an appropriations
measure separate from the larger appropriations bill. This will allow the agencies
to more accurately capture the contract support costs and provide Congress with approximate amount for a special appropriation. We welcome the opportunity to discuss this in further detail with members of this subcommittee.
RESTORE SEQUESTERED FUNDS AND EXEMPT TRIBAL FUNDING FROM FUTURE
SEQUESTRATION

Tribes have borne an unfair share of the budget deficit. The Choctaw Nation request that tribal programs be exempt from future sequestration considering that we
have already contributed to the deficit at a rate that is not commensurate with
other stakeholders. The percentage of the entire United States budget that is going
to Indian Country is only 0.07 percent. That is a third less than what the percentage was in 1995. Yet we incurred a cut of $220 million in the Indian Health Service
and $119 million for the Bureau of Indian Affairs Operations of Indian Programs
Accountboth under the 2013 sequestration. It is not realistic to expect tribes to
continue to absorb the debt of this Nation and ignore the Trust obligation and Trust
relationship between our governments. We are in fiscally tough times and our requests, as well as your responses, are tough choices and decisions that we will all
have to live with.
In 2013, the Choctaw Nation testified and shared our concern about the impending sequestration. When Congress approved legislation for the budget cuts, they specifically exempted many programs that benefit low-income Americans, including
Medicaid, tax credits for working families and food stamps. However, basically none
of the tribal programs funding in the Departments of Interior, Education, Health
and Human Services or Agriculture were exempt.
This issue was further exacerbated when the agencies consulted with the tribes
on the fiscal year 2014 Spending Plans as a means of damage control and to soften
the impact of the sequestration. It was our understanding that the Murray/Ryan
budget deal was an attempt to lessen the blow of the sequestration cuts but such
is not the case. Our requests to assist in the development of the Spending Plans,

55
or at a minimum to review them prior to submission, was not an option and we
were once again left outside of the process, the decisionmaking and impacted by the
outcome.
In general, all tribal programs, not just the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and
Indian Health Services (IHS) budgets should be exempt from any budget recessions
and discretionary funding budget reductions. We remain extremely concerned about
the consequences of sequestration and strongly urge Congress to fully restore sequestration cuts from fiscal year 2013. This action threatens the trust responsibility
and reduces portions of the budget that are not major contributors to the deficit.
Thank you for considering the requests of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

CHOOSE CLEAN WATER COALITION

MARCH 28, 2014.

Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,

Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Minority Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Murkowski: As members of the
Choose Clean Water Coalition, we are requesting continued support for programs
that are essential to maintaining and restoring clean water to the rivers and
streams throughout the Chesapeake Bay region, and to the Bay itself. At least 11
million people in this region get their drinking water directly from the rivers and
streams that flow through the cities, towns and farms throughout our region. The
quality of this water is critical to both human health and to the regional economy.
The efforts to clean the Chesapeake began under President Reagan in 1983. In
his 1984 State of the Union speech President Reagan said, Preservation of our environment is not a liberal or conservative challenge, its common sense.
To follow a common sense path to maintain healthy local water and restore
Chesapeake Bay, which is critical for our regional economy, we request funding for
the following programs in fiscal year 2015:
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Chesapeake Bay Program$73.1 million

We support the Presidents 2015 budget request of $73.1 million for the base
budget of the Chesapeake Bay Program, which coordinates Chesapeake Bay watershed restoration and protection efforts. The majority of the programs funds are
passed through to the States and local communities for on-the-ground restoration
work through programs such as the Small Watershed Grants, Innovative Nutrient
and Sediment Reduction Grants, State Implementation Grants, and the Chesapeake
Bay Regulatory and Accountability Program grants. Last year $29.5 million of this
went exclusively to the six Chesapeake Bay watershed states and the District of Columbia to achieve water quality restoration goals.
In particular, we urge you to increase funding for both the Chesapeake Small Watershed Grants (SWG) Program and the Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction grants to $6 million eacha modest increase over fiscal year 2014. These are
two well-run, competitive grants programs that have contributed significantly to
water quality improvements throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. These are
the Bay Programs only grants that go to restoration efforts by local governments
and communities, not just the States. In the fiscal year 2014 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, Congress directed EPA to increase funding for the SWG, which goes specifically to local communities for restoration work.
Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF)$1.44887 billion
This program is critical to the 1,779 local governments throughout the Chesapeake region. The funding level has eroded over the years as the clean water needs
of local communities have increased dramatically, but Congress has stabilized this
important program for the past 3 years and we urge you to do so again in fiscal
year 2015. These low interest loans are critical for clean water and for ratepayers
in the Chesapeake region and nationwide. We urge you to support the same funding
level as fiscal year 2014 that provided $327 million in low interest loans to local
governments in Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. This SRF allocates money to the States based

56
on a set formula, which is then used for low interest loans to local governments for
critical capital construction improvement projects to reduce nutrient and sediment
pollution from wastewater treatment and stormwater facilities; nonpoint sources of
pollution, such as farms and development; and other sources. The SRF enables local
governments in the Chesapeake watershed to take actions to protect their local waters to meet Clean Water Act requirements. As the list of clean water infrastructure
needs in the Chesapeake region continues to expand we request that the Clean
Water SRF not be cut in 2015.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)Chesapeake Bay Studies$9.557 million

We support the Presidents 2015 budget request of $9.557 million for the U.S. Geological Survey for the science that undergirds the restoration and protection efforts
in the Chesapeake Bay region. This funding supports restoration of fish and wildlife
and their habitats; and to assess and explain water-quality changes. There are four
key focus areas for the USGS Chesapeake work in 2015: (1) restoring brook trout
and their habitats in headwater areas of the Chesapeake watershed; (2) identifying
the endocrine-disrupting compounds and other contaminants that threaten fisheries
and wildlife in the Chesapeake watershed; (3) furthering understanding of the effects of development and sea-level rise on coastal wetlands important for waterfowl;
and (4) monitoring and explaining changes to water quality. The efforts of USGS
are critical to preserving and restoring healthy fish and wildlife resources to the
Chesapeake region.
National Park ServiceChesapeake Regional Programs$2.991 million
The National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office runs a number of small, but
very important programs that focus on increasing public access and the use of ecological, cultural and historic resources of the Chesapeake region. Expanding access
and public awareness fosters stewardship and protection efforts.
The key programs in the Presidents fiscal year 2015 budget request that we support are: Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Trails ($1,999,000); Captain John Smith
Chesapeake National Historic Trail ($368,000); Star Spangled Banner National Historic Trail ($148,000); and, support for coordinating these programs through the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office ($476,000).
National Park ServiceLand Protection in Maryland, Pennsylvania & Virginia
through the Land and Water Conservation Fund$9.832 million
We support the Presidents 2015 budget that calls for the strategic use of funds
from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to protect and preserve key assets in
the National Park System at Gettysburg National Military Park ($376,000) and the
Appalachian National Scenic Trail ($500,000) in Pennsylvania; Fredericksburg and
Spotsylvania County Battlefields National Military Park ($1.519 million) and the
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail ($6.0 million) in Virginia;
and Piscataway Park ($1.437 million) in Maryland. In addition to enhancing public
access and education and preserving key historic and heritage sites, these acquisitions, including the battlefield and military parks and the national scenic trail, will
protect key freshwater and tidal habitat areas critical to an array of fish and wildlife species.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceLand Protection in Virginia through the Land and
Water Conservation Fund$5.56 million
The Presidents 2015 budget calls for two targeted additions to the Rappahannock
River Valley National Wildlife Refuge. We support the expansion of the Refuge for
both public access and wildlife habitat protection.
Thank you for your consideration of these very important requests to maintain
funding for these programs which are critical to clean water throughout the midAtlantic region.
Sincerely,
1000 Friends of Maryland; American Rivers; Anacostia Watershed Society; Audubon Naturalist Society; Blue Water Baltimore; Chapman
Forest Foundation; Citizens for Pennsylvanias Future; Clean Water
Action; Conservation Pennsylvania; Delaware Nature Society; Elk
Creeks Watershed Association; Friends of Dyke Marsh; Friends of
Frederick County; Friends of Lower Beaverdam Creek; Friends of the
North Fork of the Shenandoah River; Friends of the Rappahannock;
Friends of the Rivers of Virginia; Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake; James River Association; Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy;
Maryland Academy of Sciences at the Maryland Science Center;

57
Maryland Conservation Council; Maryland League of Conservation
Voters; Mattawoman Watershed Society; and
National Parks Conservation Association; National Wildlife Federation;
Natural Resources Defense Council; Nature Abounds; New York
State Council Trout Unlimited; Pennsylvania Council of Churches;
Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited; Piedmont Environmental
Council; Potomac Conservancy; Rivanna Conservation Society; Rock
Creek Conservancy; Sassafras River Association; Savage River Watershed Association; Shenandoah Riverkeeper; Shenandoah Valley
Network; Stewards of the Lower Susquehanna; St. Marys River Watershed Association; Trout Unlimited; Trout Unlimited Mid-Atlantic
Council Upper Susquehanna Coalition; Virginia Conservation Network; Virginia League of Conservation Voters; Waterkeepers Chesapeake; West Virginia Rivers Coalition.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

CITY

OF

AURORA

APRIL 5, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
MARSHALL P. BROWN,
Director, Aurora Water.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

CITY

OF

FARMINGTON

APRIL 7, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin

58
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
ROBERT CAMPBELL,
Assistant City Manager.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

CIVIL WAR TRUST

MAY 21, 2014.

To the Chair and members of the subcommittee: Thank you for the opportunity
to provide testimony on behalf of the Civil War Trust. I write today to respectfully
request that the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment,
and Related Agencies fund the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program at its authorized amount of $10 million.
The Civil War Trust is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving
Americas remaining Civil War battlefields. Thanks to the generosity of our 200,000
members and supporters, the Civil War Trust has protected more than 38,500 acres
of hallowed ground in 20 States.
The Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program is an authorized competitive
matching grants program that requires a 1 to 1 Federal/non-Federal match, although on most occasions the Federal dollars are leveraged much more than 1 to
1. The program promotes cooperative partnerships between State and local governments and the private sector to protect high priority Civil War battlegrounds outside National Park Service boundaries.
BATTLEFIELD LANDS ARE OUR SHARED AMERICAN HERITAGE

Civil War battlefield lands are an irreplaceable part of our shared national heritage. When preserved, battlefields serve as outdoor classrooms to educate current
and future generations about this defining moment in Americas history. They are
living monuments, not just to the men in blue and gray who fought there, but to
all who have proudly worn our Nations uniform. Preserved battlefields are also economic drivers for communities, bringing in tourism dollars that are extremely important to State and local economies. When these hallowed grounds are lost, they
are lost forever.
This hearing is especially timely because of the ongoing sesquicentennial commemoration of the Civil War, in which millions are learning about our Nations
unique history by visiting Civil War battlefields and historic sites throughout the
country.
ORIGINS OF THE PROGRAM

In 1990, Congress created the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission (CWSAC), a
blue-ribbon panel composed of lawmakers, historians and preservationists, to examine the status of Americas Civil War battlefields. Three years later, the Commission

59
released a report identifying the most important Civil War battlegrounds,
prioritizing them according to preservation status and historic significance. In addition, the Commission also recommended that Congress establish a Federal matching
grantd program to encourage the private sector to invest in battlefield preservation.
The Commissions proposal for a Federal matching grants program was the genesis
of the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program.
Since the program was first funded in fiscal year 1999, the grants have been used
to protect 22,000 acres of hallowed ground in 16 States. Among the many battlefields that have benefited from this program are: Antietam, Maryland; Bentonville,
North Carolina; Champion Hill, Mississippi; Chancellorsville, Virginia; Chattanooga,
Tennessee; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Harpers Ferry, West Virginia; Mill Springs,
Kentucky; Prairie Grove, Arkansas; and Wilsons Creek, Missouri. It is important
to note that grants are awarded for acquisition of lands from willing sellers only;
there isand never has beenany eminent domain authority.
URGENT NEED FOR FUNDING

The Civil War Trust wishes to thank the subcommittee for its previous support
for this valuable program. We recognize that these are difficult economic times and
appreciate the constraints on this subcommittee.
We also want to emphasize that the clock is ticking on the remaining battlefields
of the Civil War. The Civil War Trust estimates that, in the next decade, most
unprotect battlefield land will be either developed or preserved. Full funding for the
Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program at its authorized level of $10 million a
year will enable nonprofit groups like the Trust to protect as many key battlefield
lands as possible in the limited time remaining. The ongoing 150th anniversary
commemoration of the Civil War is the most opportune time to provide robust funding for the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program.
CONCLUSION

The Civil War was a defining moment in our countrys history. For 4 long years,
North and South clashed in hundreds of battles that reunited our Nation and
sounded the death knell for slavery. More than 625,000 soldiers and 50,000 civilians
perished as a result of the war. Preserved battlefields help insure that the sacrifices
of that turbulent period of our Nations history are never forgotten.
I sincerely hope the subcommittee will consider our request to provide funding for
the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program at its authorized level of $10 million. We look forward to working closely with you as we continue our important
work to preserve our sacred Civil War battlefields. Thank you for the opportunity
to present this testimony to the subcommittee.
O. JAMES LIGHTHIZER,
President.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

COALITION AGAINST FOREST PESTS

The Coalition Against Forest Pests is asking the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies to appropriate a total of $111 million for the Forest
Health Management programs (combining the Federal and cooperative lands programs); and $303 million for Forest and Rangeland Research programs.
Our Coalition of non-profit organizations, for-profit corporations, landowners,
State agencies and academic scholars seeks to improve our Nations efforts to address the critical threat posed to our forests by non-native and native pests.
Our Nations forests and trees provide numerous benefits in both rural and urban
areas. They sustain the health of our environment and our economy by providing
clean air and water, wildlife habitat, enhanced property values, renewable energy
sources, and carbon sequestration. Healthy forests support numerous jobs; for example, the U.S. forest products industry employs nearly 900,000 people in all 50
States. Visitors to National Forest System lands generate more than $13 billion of
recreation and other related economic activity. One million tourists view fall foliage
displays, generating $1 billion in revenue in New England annually.
Forests ability to continue providing these benefits is threatened by damaging
invasive species that are arriving and spreading at an increasing rate. At least 28
new tree-killing pests have been detected over the last decade. Some cause enormous damage. For instance, thousand cankers disease threatens black walnut trees;
walnut growing stock is valued at $539 billion.
Already, municipal governments across the country are spending more than $2
billion each year to remove trees on city property killed by non-native pests. Home-

60
owners are spending an additional $1 billion to remove and replace trees on their
properties and are absorbing an additional $1.5 billion in reduced property values.
The Forest Health Management programs (FHM) manage forest health through
direct action on the National forests and through assistance to other Federal agencies, State agencies, local agencies and private landowners. The total allocated by
FHM to non-native forest pests has fallen 15 percent since fiscal year 2011, with
concomitant cuts for management of several pests: 90 percent for emerald ash borer;
46 percent each for Asian longhorned beetle and hemlock woolly adelgid. We appreciate the near doubling of the account addressing three pests: goldspotted oak borer,
thousand cankers disease, and laurel wilt. Still, the additional funds fall short of
the level appropriate given the economic and ecological importance of the walnut,
oak, and redbay trees at risk and the expectation that laurel wilt will nearly eradicate redbay just 25 years after the diseases discovery.
In fiscal year 2013, the FHM Program combated pests on over 285,000 acres of
Federal lands and over 444,000 acres of Cooperative lands. Funding cuts meant
321,000 fewer acres were treated on Cooperative lands in fiscal year 2013 than in
fiscal year 2011. The Presidents budget projects an increase in acres treated in fiscal year 2015, although it is unclear how this will be accomplished.
Our awareness of the need to restore these programs and address additional pests
such as western bark beetles, southern pine beetle, gypsy moth, white pine blister
rust, Port-Orford-cedar root disease, oak wilt, and polyphagous shot hole borer
underlies our request for an appropriation of $111 millionthe fiscal year 2012
level.
The USFS Forest and Rangeland Research program provides the scientific foundation for developing effective tools to detect and manage forest pests and the pathways by which they are introduced and spread. Due to budget cuts in earlier years,
this program has lost 71 percent of entomologists and pathologists on staff in 1985.
These scientists expertise is needed now more than ever due to the ever-growing
number of non-native pests. Since 1985, more than 40 new forest pests have been
detected in the U.S., including the Asian longhorned beetle, emerald ash borer, sudden oak death, laurel wilt, thousand cankers disease, goldspotted oak borer, and polyphagous shot hole borer. New pathways of introduction and spread have required
analysis, e.g., wood packaging and firewood. Yet, the Presidents budget request for
these programs would make a further cut of 6 percent, thereby jeopardizing vitally
important research on these pests and pathways as well as hemlock woolly adelgid,
white pine blister rust, and newly detected invaders. Already, recent cuts have
forced significant reductions in several programs:
The Asian longhorned beetle kills many hardwood trees, especially the maples
and birches making up much of the forest reaching from Maine to Minnesota
and urban trees worth an estimated $600 billion. Due to the difficulty in detecting this beetle, large but previously unsuspected outbreaks have been detected
in 2008, 2010, and 2013. Yet funding for research on this species has been cut
by 66 percent since fiscal year 2011.
The emerald ash borer occupies more than 171,000 square miles in 22 States.
More than 200 million ash trees in the Plains States and additional trees in
the South might be protected if better detection and control methods were available. Despite the desperate need for better tools, including breeding of trees resistant to the beetle, funding for research on this species has been cut by 9 percent since fiscal year 2011.
Sudden oak death affects 143 different plant species and continues to spread
in 15 California counties as well as Curry County, Oregon. In 2012 and 2013,
sudden oak death killed nearly 700,000 trees in California. Many types of trees
and shrubs in the East are vulnerable to the pathogen. Yet funding for research
on this species has been cut by 87 percent since fiscal year 2011.
We applaud the significant increase in funding for research on the goldspotted oak
borer and thousand cankers disease. The goldspotted oak borer has killed up to
80,000 California live oak and black oak trees in San Diego and Riverside Counties
in less than 15 years and threatens oaks throughout California.
In a time when Americas forests and trees face significant threats regarding their
present and long-term health, USFS must be provided with adequate funds to support these key programs.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this important request.
Sincerely,
Alliance for Community Trees (ACTrees); American Forest Foundation;
American Forests; California Forest Pest Council; Davey Tree Expert
Company; National Association of State Departments of Agriculture;
National Association of State Foresters; National Wild Turkey Federation; National Woodland Owners Association; Society of American

61
Florists; Society of American Foresters; The Nature Conservancy;
and Vermont Woodlands Association.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

COLORADO RIVER BASIN SALINITY CONTROL FORUM

MAY 6, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and
Related Agencies
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and
Related Agencies
Waters from the Colorado River are used by nearly 40 million people for municipal and industrial purposes and used to irrigate approximately 4 million acres in
the United States. Natural and man-induced salt loading to the Colorado River creates environmental and economic damages. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has estimated the current quantifiable damages at about $376 million per
year. Congress authorized the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program (Program) in 1974 to offset increased damages caused by continued development and use
of the waters of the Colorado River. Modeling by Reclamation indicates that the
quantifiable damages would rise to approximately $577 million by the year 2030
without continuation of the Program. Congress has directed the Secretary of the Interior to implement a comprehensive program for minimizing salt contributions to
the Colorado River from lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM). BLM funds these efforts through its Soil, Water and Air Program. BLMs
efforts are an essential part of the overall effort. A funding level of $5.2 million for
general water quality improvement efforts within the Colorado River Basin and an
additional $1.5 million for salinity specific projects in 2015 is requested to prevent
further degradation of the quality of the Colorado River and increased downstream
economic damages.
EPA has identified that more than 60 percent of the salt load of the Colorado
River comes from natural sources. The majority of land within the Colorado River
Basin is federally owned, much of which is administered by BLM. In implementing
the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act in 1974, Congress recognized that
most of the salts in the Colorado River originate from federally owned lands. Title
I of the Salinity Control Act deals with the U.S. commitment to the quality of waters being delivered to Mexico. Title II of the Act deals with improving the quality
of the water delivered to users in the United States. This testimony deals specifically with title II efforts. In 1984, Congress amended the Salinity Control Act and
directed that the Secretary of the Interior develop a comprehensive program for
minimizing salt contributions to the Colorado River from lands administered by
BLM. In 2000, Congress reiterated its directive to the Secretary and requested a
report on the implementation of BLMs program (Public Law 106459). In 2003,
BLM employed a Salinity Coordinator to increase BLM efforts in the Colorado River
Basin and to pursue salinity control studies and to implement specific salinity control practices. With a significant portion of the salt load of the Colorado River coming from BLM administered lands, the BLM portion of the overall program is essential to the success of the effort. Inadequate BLM salinity control efforts will result
in significant additional economic damages to water users downstream.
Concentration of salt in the Colorado River causes approximately $376 million in
quantified damages and significantly more in unquantified damages in the United
States and results in poor water quality for United States users. Damages occur
from:
a reduction in the yield of salt sensitive crops and increased water use to meet
the leaching requirements in the agricultural sector;
increased use of imported water and cost of desalination and brine disposal for
recycling water in the municipal sector;
a reduction in the useful life of galvanized water pipe systems, water heaters,
faucets, garbage disposals, clothes washers, and dishwashers, and increased use
of bottled water and water softeners in the household sector;
an increase in the cost of cooling operations and the cost of water softening, and
a decrease in equipment service life in the commercial sector;
an increase in the use of water and the cost of water treatment, and an increase
in sewer fees in the industrial sector;
a decrease in the life of treatment facilities and pipelines in the utility sector;
and

62
difficulty in meeting wastewater discharge requirements to comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit terms and conditions,
and an increase in desalination and brine disposal costs due to accumulation
of salts in groundwater basins.
The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum (Forum) is composed of gubernatorial appointees from Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah
and Wyoming. The Forum is charged with reviewing the Colorado Rivers water
quality standards for salinity every 3 years. In so doing, it adopts a Plan of Implementation consistent with these standards. The level of appropriation requested in
this testimony is in keeping with the adopted Plan of Implementation. If adequate
funds are not appropriated, significant damages from the higher salinity concentrations in the water will be more widespread in the United States and Mexico.
In summary, implementation of salinity control practices through BLM has proven to be a cost effective method of controlling the salinity of the Colorado River and
is an essential component to the overall Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program. Continuation of adequate funding levels for salinity control within the Soil,
Water and Air Program will assist in preventing the water quality of the Colorado
River from further degradation and significant increases in economic damages to
municipal, industrial and irrigation users. A modest investment in source control
pays huge dividends in improved drinking water quality to nearly 40 million Americans.
DON A. BARNETT,
Executive Director.

PREPARED STATEMENT

COLORADO RIVER DISTRICTCOLORADO RIVER WATER

CONSERVATION DISTRICT

OF THE

APRIL 2, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
ERIC KUHN,
General Manager.

63
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

COLORADO SPRINGS UTILITIES

APRIL 14, 2014.

Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
BRETT W. GRACELY.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

COLUMBIA RIVER INTER-TRIBAL FISH COMMISSION

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, the Columbia River Inter-Tribal
Fish Commission (CRITFC) is pleased to share its view on the Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) fiscal year 2015 budget. We have specifically
identified the following funding needs and one request for review:
$7.7 million for Columbia River Fisheries Management under Rights Protection
Implementation, ($3.1 million above the request), to meet the base program
funding needs of the Commission and the fisheries programs of our member
tribes;
$4.8 million for U.S./Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty, ($500k above the request),
to implement obligations under the recent agreements adopted by the U.S. and
Canada;
$500 thousand for Youth Program Initiatives (supports the request);
$352.5 million for Public Safety and Justice, of which $716,00 supports enforcement of Federal laws at In-Lieu and Treaty Fishing Access Sites on the Columbia River;
$3.1 million in Rights Protection Implementation and $10 million for Cooperative Landscape Conservation to assist tribes in climate change adaptation and
planning; and
$1.25 million to the Office of the Secretary of Interiors Leadership and Administration Activity for Federal/Tribal collaborative analytical work and consultations during domestic reconsideration of the Columbia River Treaty.
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

CRITFC was founded in 1977 by the four Columbia River Treaty tribes: Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Tribes of the Warm
Springs Reservation of Oregon, Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, and the Nez Perce Tribe. CRITFC provides coordination and technical assist-

64
ance to these tribes in regional, national and international efforts to protect and restore our shared salmon resource and the habitat upon which it depends. Our collective ancestral homeland covers nearly one-third of the entire Columbia River Basin
in the United States, an area the size of the State of Georgia.
In 1855, the U.S. entered into treaties with the four tribes 1 whereupon we ceded
millions of acres of our homelands to the United States. In return, the United States
pledged to honor our ancestral rights, including the right to fish. Unfortunately, a
perilous history brought the salmon resource to the edge of extinction with 12 salmon and steelhead populations in the Columbia Basin listed under the Endangered
Species Act (ESA).
The CRITFC tribes are leaders in fisheries restoration and management working
in collaboration with State, Federal and private entities. We are principals in the
regions efforts to halt the decline of salmon, lamprey and sturgeon populations and
rebuild them to levels that support ceremonial, subsistence and commercial harvests. To achieve these objectives, our actions emphasize gravel-to-gravel management including supplementation of natural stocks, healthy watersheds and collaborative efforts.
The programs in this testimony are carried out pursuant to the Indian Self-Determination and Assistance Act. Our programs are integrated as much as possible with
State and Federal salmon management and restoration efforts.
COLUMBIA RIVER FISHERIES MANAGEMENT WITHIN RIGHTS PROTECTION
IMPLEMENTATION

We are succeeding. The salmon, returning in greater numbers, tell us so. But
along with success, management issues increase the complexity, requiring greater
data collection and more enforcement burden. Funding shortfalls prohibit the
achievement of tribal self-determination goals for fisheries management, ESA recovery effort, protecting non-listed species, conservation enforcement and treaty fishing
access site maintenance. We request an increase of $3.1million over fiscal year 2014
for a new program base of $7.7 million for Columbia River Fisheries Management.
The BIAs Columbia River Fisheries Management line item is the base funding
that supports the fishery program efforts of CRITFC and the four member tribes.
Unlike State fish and game agencies, the tribes do not have access to Dingell-Johnson/Pittman-Robertson or Wallop-Breaux funding. The increase will be directed to
support the core functions of the fisheries management programs of the Commissions member tribes, namely enforcement and harvest monitoring.
In 2008, CRITFC and its member tribes struck three landmark agreements: (1)
the Columbia Basin Fish Accords with Federal action agencies overseeing the Federal hydro system in the Columbia Basin,2 (2) a 10-Year Fisheries Management
Plan with Federal, tribal and State parties under U.S. v. Oregon, and (3) a new Chinook Chapter of the Pacific Salmon Treaty.3 These agreements establish regional
and international commitments on harvest and fish production efforts, commitments
to critical investments in habitat restoration, and resolving contentious issues by
seeking balance of the many demands within the Columbia River basin. While
through these agreements the tribes have committed to substantial on-the-ground
projects with some additional resources from the Bonneville Power Administration,
the overall management responsibilities of the tribal programs have grown exponentially without commensurate increases in BIA base funding capacity. For example,
the tribes leadership in addressing Pacific Lamprey declines is this species best
hope for survival and recovery. The tribes are also addressing unmet mitigation obligations, such as fish losses associated with the John Day and The Dalles dams.
The funding provided through the BIA to support tribal fishery programs is crucial to the tribes and CRITFCs ability to successfully carry out tribal rights protection, including these agreements, by providing sound technical, scientific and policy
products to diverse legal, public and private forums.
U.S./CANADA PACIFIC SALMON TREATY UNDER RIGHTS PROTECTION IMPLEMENTATION

The U.S. and Canada entered into the Pacific Salmon Treaty in 1985 to conserve
and rebuild salmon stocks, provide for optimum production, and control salmon
interceptions. The treaty established the Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC) as a
forum to collaborate on intermingled salmon stocks. The U.S. Section of the PSC
1 Treaty with the Yakama Tribe, June 9, 1855, 12 Stat. 951; Treaty with the Tribes of Middle
Oregon, June 25, 1855, 12 Stat. 963; Treaty with the Umatilla Tribe, June 9, 1855, 12 Stat.
945; Treaty with the Nez Perce Tribe, June 11, 1855, 12 Stat. 957.
2 The Nez Perce Tribe is not a Columbia Basin Fish Accord signatory.
3 See Salmon Win A Triple Crown at http://www.critfc.org/text/wanal109.pdf.

65
annually develops a coordinated budget for tribal, State and Federal programs to
ensure cost and program efficiencies. Congress increased funding in 2000 in order
to implement the 1999 Agreement, but funding has significantly eroded since then.
In 2008, the U.S. and Canada adopted a new long term treaty agreement after nearly 3 years of negotiations. Both parties agreed to significant new management research and monitoring activities to ensure the conservation and rebuilding of the
shared salmon resource.
For tribal participants in the Pacific Salmon Treaty, the U.S. Section has identified a program need of $4,800,000 for participating tribes. These funds provide for
direct tribal participation with the Commission, panels and technical committees.
The funding enables the tribes to assist in treaty implementation and facilitates
management protecting trust resources. This funding maintains tribal resource assessment and research programs structured to fulfill required treaty implementation activities. The fiscal year 2015 recommended level for this program is an increase of $520,000 above the fiscal year 2014 enacted level. Our request correlates
to the U.S. Sections recommendation.
YOUTH PROGRAM INITIATIVES

The Columbia River Treaty tribes place an emphasis on preparing our youth for
careers in Natural Resources Management. However, our tribes, like tribes nationwide, struggle to overcome barriers to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics achievement, high drop-out rates, and low percentages of students pursuing
natural resources majors. Our Place-Based Workforce Development Initiative seeks
to address these barriers through a blend of technical assistance, inter and
externship opportunities and a summer Salmon Camp.
PUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICE, CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS AND POLICE SERVICES

Public safety continues to be a high priority for CRITFC and our tribes. Our conservation and criminal enforcement officers are the cornerstone of public safety in
the popular and heavily used Columbia Gorge area patrolling 150 miles of the Columbia River, including its shorelines in Oregon and Washington. In this area we
are the primary provider of enforcement services at 31 fishing access sites developed
pursuant to Public Law 8714 and Public Law 100581 for use by treaty fishers.
CRITFCs officers have obtained BIA Special Law Enforcement Commissions to aid
our efforts protecting and serving tribal members and Federal trust properties along
the Columbia River. We are also very pleased that the BIA has created Office of
Justice Services (OJS) District 8 and housed it in Portland. CRITFC entered into
a Public Law 93638 contract with BIA in February 2011 for enforcement services
along the Columbia River. That contract currently provides funding for two enforcement positions.
Its important that CRITFC build its enforcement capacity above the level of the
two officers currently funded by the BIA Office of Justice Services. Our immediate
priority is to add two officers. Funding for two additional officers would cost
$313,560 plus indirect. Full funding for this project would be a total budget of
$716,053 plus indirect which would support four officers, a sergeant and a dispatcher.
COOPERATIVE LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION

The Treaty Right is feeling the effects of Climate Change. Shifts are occurring in
salmon run timing, and berry and root ripening cycles. We support the Presidents
request of $10 million to implement the Department of the Interior (DOI) Climate
Change Policy for Indian Tribes, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. Specifically,
these funds support the BIA Tribal Climate Change Program which will integrate
climate change adaptation strategies into its policies and planning for support for
the tribes, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. The BIA needs these resources
to support active engagement of tribes, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians in the
Landscape Conservation Cooperatives and the Climate Science Centers and to ensure adequate Government-to-Government consultation on all issues with climate
effects.
COLUMBIA RIVER TREATY MODERNIZATION

The Columbia Basin tribes are a coalition of 15 tribes whose rights, as well as
management authorities and responsibilities, are substantially affected by the implementation of the Columbia River Treaty. In order for treaty modernization to
succeed, the Columbia Basin tribes need to continue to coordinate internally and
with other regional and national entities, as well as continue their analytical eval-

66
uation of the treaty including the impacts of climate change, while the State Department evaluates the Regional Recommendation and completes their national interests review.
A REQUEST FOR REVIEW OF SALMON MASS-MARKING PROGRAMS

CRITFC endeavors to secure a unified hatchery strategy among tribal, Federal

and State co-managers. To that end, we seek to build hatchery programs using the
best available science and supported by adequate, efficient budgets. A congressional
requirement, delivered through prior appropriations language, to visibly mark all
salmon produced in federally funded hatcheries should be reconsidered. We have requested that Federal mass-marking requirements, and correlated funding, be reviewed for compatibility with our overall objective of ESA delisting and with prevailing laws and agreements: U.S. v. Oregon, Pacific Salmon Treaty and the Columbia Basin Fish Accords.4 Salmon managers should be provided the latitude to make
case-by-case decisions whether to mark fish and, if so, in the appropriate percentages.
In summary, through combined efforts of the four tribes supported by a staff of
experts, we are proven natural resource managers. Our activities benefit the region
while also essential to the U.S. obligation under treaties, Federal trust responsibility, Federal statutes, and court orders. We ask for your continued support of our
efforts. We are prepared to provide additional information you may require on the
Department of Interiors BIA budget.
PREPARED STATEMENT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL FIRE SERVICES INSTITUTE, THE
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS, AND THE NATIONAL VOLUNTEER
FIRE COUNCIL
Hon. BARBARA MIKULSKI, Chairwoman,
Committee on Appropriations,
U.S. Senate, Capitol Building, Washington, DC.
Hon. RICHARD SHELBY, Ranking Member,
Committee on Appropriations,
U.S. Senate, Capitol Building, Washington, DC.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related
Agencies, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related
Agencies, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairwoman Mikulski, Ranking Member Shelby, Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Murkowski: Our organizations request that you include a minimum of
$16 million in funding for the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) grant program in
fiscal year 2015 appropriations. VFA provides matching funds to volunteer fire departments protecting communities with 10,000 or fewer residents to purchase equipment and training for wildland fire suppression.
According to the Presidents fiscal year 2015 budget justification for the U.S. Forest Service, volunteer fire departments provide nearly 80 percent of initial attack
on wildland fires in the United States. Unfortunately, these departments frequently
lack the financial resources to adequately equip and train their firefighters to engage in wildland fire suppression. For example, the Third Needs Assessment of the
U.S. Fire Service report published in 2011 by the National Fire Protection Association found that 68 percent of all fire departments that are responsible for wildland
firefighting have not formally trained all their personnel to the recommended national standard.
When local fire departments are unable to suppress wildland fires during the initial phase, the fires spread and State and Federal firefighters are deployed. This is
an extremely expensive process that can cost the Federal Government anywhere
from hundreds of millions of dollars to more than $1 billion in fire suppression costs
alone in a single year depending on the severity of the fire season.
The costs of wildland fire suppression have been increasing steadily as commercial and residential development pushes further into the wildland/urban interface
4 Letter from Bruce Jim, Chairman, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission to U.S.
House of Representatives Chairmen Frank Wolf, Mike Simpson and Doc Hastings, July 11,
2011.

67
(WUI). The National Interagency Fire Center reports that in 2012, increased building in the WUI led to an above average number of structures burning in wildland
fires. Throughout the year, a total of 4,244 structures were lost2,200 of which
were residential structures. With suppression costs rising, all stakeholders must increase efforts to prevent wildland fires, respond to wildland fires quickly before they
become uncontrollable, and educate communities in the wildland/urban interface so
that they can take precautions to minimize losses due to wildland fire.
In recent years, Federal funding for volunteer fire departments to prepare for
wildland fire suppression has been dwindling. VFA has seen funding reduced from
$16 million in fiscal year 2010 to $15.662 million in fiscal year 2011 and approximately $13 million in fiscal year 2012, fiscal year 2013 and fiscal year 2014. Additionally, the Rural Fire Assistance (RFA) program, which had historically been
funded at $7 million to $10 million per year and provided matching grants to fire
departments that agreed to assist in responding to wildland fires on Federal lands,
hasnt been funded since fiscal year 2010.
Federal support is critical to ensure volunteer fire departments are able to safely
and effectively respond to wildland fires. Our organizations recognize the challenges
that Congress faces in trying to adequately fund a range of important programs in
todays difficult budget environment. At the same time, we believe that reducing the
funding for programs like RFA and VFA from a combined $23 million in fiscal year
2010 to $13.025 million in fiscal year 2014 leaves volunteer fire departments with
fewer resources to prepare to respond to wildland fires and will lead to higher Federal spending on fire suppression in the long run. We urge you to provide a minimum of $16 million for VFA in fiscal year 2015.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

THE CONSERVATION FUND

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, and Members of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, thank you for
this opportunity to submit outside witness testimony on behalf of The Conservation
Fund (TCF). The Conservation Fund supports full funding of the Presidents budget
request of $900 million in fiscal year 2015 for the Land and Water Conservation
Fund (LWCF) discretionary and mandatory proposals, which includes the Federal
land acquisition programs of the Bureau of Land Management ($89.397 million),
National Park Service ($171.041 million), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ($168.772
million), U.S. Forest Service ($127.673 million), as well as three State grant programs: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund ($100 million); National Park Services State Conservation Grants
($100 million); and the U.S. Forest Services Forest Legacy Program ($100 million).
TCF also supports full funding of the Presidents request for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-North American Wetlands Conservation Fund ($34.145 million); the U.S.
Forest ServiceCommunity Forest and Open Space Conservation Program ($1.683
million); the Department of InteriorNatural Resource Damage Assessment and
Restoration Program ($7.676 million); and the Bureau of Indian AffairsOperations
of Indian Programs: TrustReal Estate Services ($127.002 million). Additionally,
TCF supports the proposals for the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act reauthorization, the National Park Service Centennial Initiative, and the U.S. Forest
Service Wildland Disaster Fund Act.
The Conservation Fund (TCF) is a national, non-profit conservation organization
dedicated to conserving Americas land and water legacy for future generations. Established in 1985, TCF works with landowners; Federal, State and local agencies;
and other partners to conserve our Nations important lands for people, wildlife and
communities. To date, TCF has helped our partners to conserve over 7.4 million
acres. These accomplishments are due, in large measure, to the leadership of this
subcommittee over many years to appropriate funds to acquire lands for future generations, working forests, recreational opportunities, wildlife habitat, and many
other benefits.
Below are highlights of some benefits of the LWCF and land acquisition programs.
While these projects show the tremendous diversity of benefits of land acquisition
for the public, they have one thing in commoneach of these projects is driven by
landowners. Many farmers, ranchers and forestland owners have significant financial equity in their land. By enabling a landowner to sell a conservation easement
or fee title, the LWCF program provides landowners with funds to stay in business,
reinvest in businesses, or meet other financial goals.
As the subcommittee crafts its Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, there are several key points we respectfully request you to con-

68
sider, listed below. Each of the funding amounts below reflects the fiscal year 2015
Presidents budget request.
1. Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million.Funding at the
recommended $900 million is critical for the Nations premier conservation program,
a bipartisan agreement from almost 50 years ago. As the lists of ready LWCF
projects below show, there are many opportunities that will be lost without this
funding. LWCF represents a promise to the Nation that proceeds from offshore oil
and gas development will help protect the public trust and these projects will fulfill
that mission.
The LWCF budget includes Collaborative Landscape Planning (CLP) areas that
we ask you to support: National Trails System, Florida-Georgia Longleaf Pine Initiative, South Carolina Longleaf Pine, High Divide, Greater Yellowstone, Grasslands/Prairie Potholes, California Southwest Desert, and Upper Rio Grande. In each
CLP, several Federal land agencies are partnering with States, local groups, nonprofits and private interests to support conservation and make a lasting impact.
2. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land Acquisition at $89.397 million.The
BLM and its National Conservation Lands provide some of our Nations best recreation and historic areas. From fishing at the North Platte River in Wyoming to exploring Pueblo ruins at Canyons of the Ancients in Colorado, we request funding
for the following projects:
Upper Snake South Fork, Idaho: $1 million (#2); and $1.9 million (#14)
North Platte River Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA), Wyoming:
$1.2 million (#5)
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Colorado: $1.2 million (#6)
CLP National Trails-Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail (NHT), Montana:
$1.032 mil. (#7); and $1.148 mil. (#17)
McInnis Canyon National Conservation Area (NCA), Colorado: $210,000 (#8),
and $1.625 million (#18)
Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, Oregon: $906,000 (#12); and $5 million
(#21)
Upper Missouri River National Wild and Scenic River, Montana: $3.408 million
(#23)
Aqua Fria National Monument, Arizona: $3.3 million (#24)
Colorado River Special Recreation Management Area (SRMA), Colorado: $2 million (#27)
CLP High DivideOregon National Historic Trail (NHT), Idaho: $440,000 (#28)
CLP High DivideUpper Madison, Montana: $868,000 (#28)
3. National Park Service (NPS) Federal Land Acquisition at $171.041 million.
Hosting more than 275 million visitors every year, the over 400 National Park units
provide an economic boost to their local communities and those employed directly
and indirectly. Funding for NPS LWCF will help protect key access points for recreation, historic areas, trails and more, including along the Captain John Smith National Historic Trail and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. We respectfully request funding for the following projects:
CLP National TrailsCaptain John Smith National Historic Trail (NHT), Virginia: $4 million (#4), and $2 million, (#13)
CLP National TrailsAppalachian National Scenic Trail (NST), New Hampshire, $200,000 (#13)
Olympic National Park, Washington: $5.22 million (#14)
CLP High DivideBig Hole National Battlefield, Montana: $150,000 (#21)
4. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Land Acquisition at $168.772 million.
National Wildlife Refuges (NWR) are our Nations protectors of clean water, clean
air, abundant wildlife and world-class recreation. Funding for fiscal year 2015 FWS
LWCF will help preserve grizzly bear territory of the Rocky Mountain Front in Montana and protect key longleaf pine at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. We respectfully request funding for the following projects:
Dakota Tallgrass Prairie Wildlife Management Area (WMA), North Dakota/
South Dakota: $3.887 million (#2), and $3.887 million (#11)
Dakota Grassland Conservation Area, North Dakota/South Dakota: $7 million
(#3) and $7 million (#12)
Rocky Mountain Front Conservation Area, Montana: $2 million (#5)
Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Conservation
Area, Florida: $3 million (#6) and $5 million (#14)
CLP Florida-Georgia Longleaf PineOkefenokee National Wildlife Refuge
(NWR), Georgia: $4 million (#9)
Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area, Kansas: $1 million (#22)
Lower Rio Grande Valley National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Texas: $2 million
(#23)

69
CLP Grasslands/Prairie PotholesDakota Tallgrass Prairie Wildlife Management Area (WMA): $3 million (#27)
CLP Grasslands/Prairie PotholesDakota Grasslands Conservation Area: $7.5
million (#27)
5. U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Land Acquisition at $127.673 million.USFS
LWCF funds help with forest management by protecting key inholdings and reducing fire threats. From the longleaf pine in the southeast to the North Carolina
Threatened Treasures to the Missouri Ozarks, we are working with willing landowners at the following project areas and respectfully request funding:
CLP National TrailsAppalachian National Scenic Trail (NST), Tennessee:
$330,000 (#4); and $2.72 million (#32)
North Carolina Threatened Treasures, North Carolina: $2.1 million (#5), and
$3.5 million (#30)
CLP Florida-Georgia Longleaf Pine InitiativeOsceola, Florida: $5 million (#7);
and $3.677 million (#34)
Missouri Ozarks Current River, Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri: $1 million (#16)
Tennessee Mountains Trails and Waters, Tennessee: $3.7 million (#21)
Greater Yellowstone Area, Bridger-Teton National Forest, Wyoming: $3 million
(#25)
Georgia-Disappearing Wildlands of Georgia Mountains and Rivers, Georgia:
$2.7 million (#27)
Great Lakes Northwoods, Superior National Forest, Minnesota: $3 million (#33)
Cube Cove, Tongass National Forest, Alaska: $3 million (#38)
6. LWCF State Grant Programs: FWS-Section 6 Cooperative Endangered Species
Fund, NPS-State Conservation Grants, and USFS-Forest Legacy.We encourage the
subcommittee to fully fund fiscal year 2015 Presidents Budget request for:
FWS-Section 6 Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund: $100 million
NPS-State Conservation Grants: $100 million
USFS-Forest Legacy Program: $100 million. Project highlights include:
Bobcat Ridge, Texas, $2.37 million (#3 ranking)
East Fork of the French Broad Headwater II, North Carolina, $3.5 million
(#9)
Liberty Hill, South Carolina, $2 million (#21)
Sherwood Forest, Tennessee, $3 million (#24)
Windham Region Working Forest, Vermont, $1.5 million (#34)
7. Priority Land Acquisition Programs.TCF encourages the Committee to fund:
FWS-North American Wetlands Conservation Fund: $34.145 million
USFS-Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program: $1.683 million
8. Department of InteriorNatural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration
Program at $7.676 million.The Restoration Program leads the national response
for recovery of natural resources that have been injured or destroyed as a result of
oil spills or releases of other hazardous substances. Recoveries from responsible parties can only be spent to implement restoration plans developed by the Trustee
Council for each incident. These funds are 100 percent private and represent the
amount needed to restore environmental resources or compensate for lost public use
since the damage in question. The fiscal year 2015 funds would allow the Program
to add carefully targeted staff allocated to Interior bureaus and offices through its
Restoration Support Unit in order to accelerate restoration activities.
9. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)Operations of Indian Programs: Trust-Real Estate Services at $127.002 million.We support the BIA Trust-Real Estate Services
program, including funding to support the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement.
10. Reauthorization of the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (H.R. 2068)
(S. 368).We support the fiscal year 2015 Presidents budget request to reauthorize
the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act (FLTFA) an important program that
provides conservation funding for the West, at no cost to the taxpayer. Through
FLTFAs land for land program, BLM sells land identified for disposal to ranchers,
farmers, businesses and others to consolidate land ownership, create jobs, support
economic development and increase revenues to counties by putting land on the tax
rolls. These sales generate funding for BLM, USFS, NPS and USFWS to acquire
critical inholdings from willing sellers in certain designated areas, which often complements LWCF, North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) and other
public and private funding. The sales provide revenue for Federal agencies to acquire high-priority lands with important recreational access for hunting, fishing,
hiking, boating, other activities, as well as properties with historic, scenic and cul-

70
tural resources. Over 150 groups are working together to support Congress efforts
to reauthorize FLTFA.
11. Wildlife Disaster Funding Act (H.R. 3992)(S. 1875) and Avoiding Transfers to
Wildland Fire Suppression.We support the proposal in the Presidents budget that
would avoid transferring funds Congress appropriates to other priority programs to
fund wildland fire suppression. We support language mirroring the bipartisan Wildfire Disaster Funding Act (S. 1875 & H.R. 3992). This important change to fire funding at the Federal level is needed to prevent future transfers and ensure that the
USFS and Department of the Interior can achieve their land management objectives
by implementing activities needed to address the growing buildup of hazardous fuels
on Federal lands.
The Conservation Fund stands ready to work with you to secure full and consistent funding for the LWCF, Forest Legacy, and the other critically important programs that help protect the environment, economies, forests, and community values
across our Nation. Thank you for the opportunity to provide this testimony and your
consideration of our request.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

COOPERATIVE ALLIANCE

FOR

REFUGE ENHANCEMENT

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, and members of the subcommittee:

Thank you for the opportunity to submit comments on the fiscal year 2015 (fiscal
year 2015) Interior Appropriations bill. We sincerely thank you for the desperately
needed funding increase for fiscal year 2014 and respectfully request a funding level
of $476.4 million for the Operations and Maintenance accounts of the National Wildlife Refuge System for fiscal year 2015. The National Wildlife Refuge System stands
alone as the only land and water conservation system with a mission that prioritizes
wildlife and habitat conservation alongside human, wildlife-dependent recreation.
Since 1995, the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE) has worked
to showcase the value of the Refuge System and to secure a strong congressional
commitment for conserving these special landscapes. Found in every U.S. State and
territory, national wildlife refuges conserve a diversity of Americas environmentally
sensitive and economically vital ecosystems, including oceans, coasts, wetlands,
deserts, tundra, prairie, and forests.
This testimony is submitted on behalf of CAREs 23 member organizations, which
represent over 16 million American hunters, anglers, bird and wildlife watchers, scientists and concerned citizens passionate about wildlife conservation and related
recreational opportunities.
American Birding Association
National Wildlife Refuge Association
American Fisheries Society
Safari Club International
American Sportfishing Association
The Corps Network
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies The Nature Conservancy
Congressional Sportsmens Foundation
The Wilderness Society
Defenders of Wildlife
The Wildlife Society
Ducks Unlimited, Inc.
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation
Izaak Walton League of America
Partnership
Marine Conservation Institute
Trout Unlimited
National Audubon Society
U.S. Sportsmens Alliance
National Rifle Association
Wildlife Forever
National Wildlife Federation
Wildlife Management Institute
The National Wildlife Refuge System, established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903, protects approximately 150 million acres on 562 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts across the U.S. From the Virgin Islands
to Guam and the Pacific marine national monuments, the Refuge System spans 12
time zones and protects Americas natural heritage in habitats ranging from arctic
tundra to arid desert, boreal forest to sagebrush grassland, and prairie wetlands to
coral reefs. With a refuge within an hours drive from most metropolitan areas, the
Refuge System attracts a growing number of visitors each year (46.5 million in fiscal
year 2013) with opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, photography,
kayaking, and outdoor education. In fact, from 20062011, during our Nations
greatest economic recession since the Great Depression, visitation to our national
wildlife refuges increased by 30 percent.
According to a report issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in late 2013,
Banking On Nature, these visitors generated $2.4 billion annually to local and regional economieson average returning $4.87 in economic activity for every $1 appropriatedand support 35,000 U.S. jobs. In addition, refuges provide major environmental and health benefits, such as filtering storm water before it is carried

71
downstream and fills municipal aquifers; reducing flooding by capturing excess rainwater; and minimizing the damage to coastal communities from storm surges. According to a 2011 report by Southwick Associates, refuges generate more than $32.3
billion in these ecosystem services each year, a return of over $65 for every $1 appropriated by Congress.
At minimum, CARE estimates that the Refuge System needs at least $900 million
in annual operations and maintenance funding to meet conservation targets, including wildlife management and habitat restoration and opportunities for the public to
recreate. Unfortunately, inadequate funding threatens the Systems ability to carry
out its mission, mandated by the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act
of 1997. Between fiscal year 2010 and fiscal year 2013, Refuge System funding was
reduced by $50 milliona 10 percent cut. As a result, System performance levels
dropped substantially.
The fiscal year 2013 Refuge Annual Performance Plan (RAPP) reports revealed
falling performance rates in several important System categories, including habitat
condition, habitat restoration, recreation opportunities, volunteerism, and scientific
research. The following data shows the systemic impact of budget cuts from fiscal
year 2010fiscal year 2013.
Measures for which performance declined more than 50 percent from fiscal year 2010
to fiscal year 2013
Acres of forest/shrubland improvement (51 percent)
Wetland acres restored (77 percent)
Open water acres restored (84 percent)
Acres of non-native, invasive plants controlled (60 percent)
Measures for which performance declined 2550 percent from fiscal year 2010 to fiscal year 2013
Number of invasive animal populations controlled during the year (46 percent)
Acres treated for non-native, invasive plants (37 percent)
Measures for which performance declined 1525 percent from fiscal year 2010 to fiscal year 2013
Acres of moist soil managed (21 percent)
Number of population management actions (23 percent)
Acres of mowed/hayed grasslands (20 percent)
Acres managed by other techniques (15 percent)
Riparian miles restored (19 percent)
Number of research studies (15.5 percent)
Number of surface water acres impaired according to State 303d listings
Measures for which performance declined 315 percent from fiscal year 2010 to fiscal
year 2013
Uplands receiving needed management (9 percent)
Number of Inventory & Monitoring Surveys accomplished (14 percent)
Open water receiving needed management (5 percent)
Total refuge acres receiving needed management (6 percent)
Restoration deferred on upland acres (4.5 percent)
Restoration deferred on wetland acres (12.5 percent)
Acres of water-level manipulation (8 percent)
Upland game hunt visits (6 percent)
Big game hunt visits (down 3.1 percent from fiscal year 2011 to fiscal year
2013)
Total hunt visits (down 3 percent from fiscal year 2011 to fiscal year 2013)
Fishing visits (3 percent)
Number of volunteers (8.7 percent)
Volunteer hours (down 3 percent from fiscal year 2011 to fiscal year 2013)
Total other recreational participants (7 percent)
As habitat management declines, the Systems fragile ecosystems are subject to
opportunistic invasive species. And the foothold they gain in refuge lands can quickly transfer to adjacent private and State lands; an issue of great concern in places
like southeastern Idaho where the CARE group visited in 2012. Between fiscal year
2010 and fiscal year 2013, the System treated 37 percent less acreage for invasive
plants and, sadly, saw a 60 percent drop in acreage where invasive plants were successfully controlled. One step forward and several steps back is an inefficient way
to manage the Refuge System and threatens years of cooperative efforts with partners and landowners.

72
Of particular concern to CARE is the drop in hunting, fishing and other recreational visits, which include bird and wildlife watching, photography, hiking and
kayaking. Due to staffing cuts, refuges are unable to sustain visitor hours and public use programs. This in turn leads to fewer visitors and could have serious impacts
on the economic return these refuges have in local communities. Further, investments made at the urging of CARE regarding the Systems Inventory and Monitoring program are threatened. The System must have current, accurate data to
make informed management decisions, yet the System had a 15.5 percent decline
in research studies, and a 14 percent decline in essential Inventory and Monitoring
Surveys conducted.
CARE thanks the subcommittee and Congress for the much needed, 4 percent increase ($18.5 m) in funding for fiscal year 2014. It was hoped that the budget increase could reverse the systemic declines in performance but because the System
needs at least $15 million annually to maintain management capabilities, there is
in reality, only $3.5 million was left to address these declines. And unfortunately,
emergencies nationwide such as natural disasters and looming endangered species
listing could force the System to deal with these crises instead, further exacerbating
the issues. Because of the constraints of the budget agreement reached in December
2013, CARE is supporting the Presidents request of $476.4 million for fiscal year
2015, although it is substantially less than what the System needs. Albeit roughly
half the optimal funding amount, $476.4 million may steady falling, System performance levels. If the requested funding level is satisfied, the Refuge System can
better address the following tasks:
Conduct management and restoration activities to provide healthy habitats that
attract wildlife and, in turn, draw visitors and increase economic return to communities;
Keep refuges open and staffed so that quality recreational opportunities continue to be offered to the public;
Maintain facilities and equipment used to serve the public and manage habitat;
Provide law enforcement officers needed to keep refuge resources and the people
who come to appreciate them safe.
Refuge visitation is growing and is expected to continue. In fact, from fiscal year
2010 to fiscal year 2013, the Refuge System welcomed 6.7 percent more visitors.
Wildlife observation visits, too, increased by 12 percent, and photography visits increased by 33 percent. However, refuges are losing valuable staff committed to visitors and volunteers. The number of volunteers dropped by 8.6 percent, particularly
troubling considering this work force is a 20 percent boost to existing Refuge System
staff. Refuges rely on volunteers for welcoming and greeting visitors, staffing refuge
nature stores, maintenance, interpretation, and much more. Volunteer service, however, is only possible if the System is reasonably staffed and thus able to extend
requisite volunteer training and oversight. Arguably, the Systems mission cannot
be fully achieved without refuge volunteers and Friends groups.
If the Refuge System is forced to sustain further reductions, future RAPP reports
will likely show continued decline in the Systems conservation work and public use
opportunities. Funding cuts are already impacting Americas refuges. If annual operations and maintenance funding does not rise, CARE anticipates further impacts
both within and outside of refuge boundaries, including:
A reduction in the treatment of invasive plants, reducing habitat quality needed
to support wildlife (both game and non-game) and put private lands at higher
risk of infestations;
A decrease in the use of prescribed fire, which is used on refuges both to improve habitat for wildlife and to reduce hazardous fuels that pose a wildfire risk
to nearby communities;
A decline in the number and quality of visitor programs, with visitor centers
operating at reduced hours, and plans to add or expand hunting programs at
refuges being postponed;
Lost revenue for local communities as visitor numbers drop; according to the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) fiscal year 2013 budget justification,
Each 1 percent increase or decrease in visitation impacts $16.9 million in total
economic activity, 268 jobs, $5.4 million in job-related income, and $608,000 in
tax revenue.
Elimination of ancillary functions like FWSs operation of Henderson Field at
Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge, which serves as a critical emergency
landing site for trans-pacific flights, as well as the publics main window to the
vast marine national monuments.
We urge Congress to fund the Refuge System at $476.4 m in fiscal year 2015
to bridge the growing gap between what the System needs and what it receives, enabling refuges to continue moving America forward. On behalf of our more than 16

73
million members and supporters, CARE thanks the subcommittee for the opportunity to submit comments on the fiscal year 2015 Interior Appropriations bill, and
we look forward to meeting with you to discuss our request.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

THE CORPS NETWORK

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Chocran, and members of the subcommittee:

My name is Mary Ellen Sprenkel and I am the president and CEO of The Corps
Network. The Corps Network is the national association of service and conservation
corps with over 100 member organizations operating in all 50 States, and enrolling
nearly 26,000 young people between the ages of 16 and 25 each year. It is The Corps
Networks mission to provide critical leadership to the Corps movement and to our
Nations Service and Conservation Corps as they harness the power of youth and
young adults to tackle some of Americas greatest challenges and transform their
own lives.
The Corps Network requests the subcommittees support for fiscal year 2015 programs that will allow public land and water management agencies to engage young
adults and veterans to meet our Nations backlogged maintenance needs, address
record youth unemployment, and prepare a diverse group of youth to be the next
generation of natural resource employees and stewards.
Corps are comprehensive youth development programs that provide their participants with job training, academic programming, leadership skills, and additional
support through a strategy of service that improves communities and the environment. They are a direct descendant of the Depression-era Civilian Conservation
Corps, which mobilized about three million young men who dramatically improved
the Nations public lands while receiving food, shelter, education, and a precious
$30-a-month stipend.
THE IMPACT IN NUMBERS

In 2013 alone, the 100-plus members of The Corps Network collectively:

Restored and improved 240,000 acres of ecological habitat;
Maintained and improved 2,900 parks, gardens, and urban greenspaces;
Built and maintained 8,000 miles of trails; and
Removed over 300,000 acres of invasive and exotic plant species.
CORPS ENROLL PARTICIPANTS REFLECTIVE OF AMERICAS DIVERSITY

At present, our member Corps enroll nearly 26,000 Corpsmembers a year, the majority of whom come from diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds, and are looking
for a second chance to succeed in life. Many Corpsmembers are opportunity youth,
meaning that they have either dropped out of school or are unemployed at the time
that they enter a Corps program.
In addition to the normal work week, Corpsmembers receive a wide range of personal and professional development opportunities and services including, but not
limited to: guidance from adult leaders who serve as mentors and role models, academic programming designed to lead to a high school diploma or GED, opportunities
to pursue certificates and credentials with demonstrated value, and a modest stipendall to prepare them for postsecondary education and labor market success.
In 2012, 65 percent of all Corpsmembers were unemployed at the time of entry,
31 percent were not in school and did not have a GED, 61 percent came from families below the poverty line, and 20 percent were formerly incarcerated or court-involved. After completing their programs, 54 percent of alumni said that they were
employed or enrolled in further service. Sixty-eight percent reported that they were
in college or a high school diploma/GED program.
QUALITY WORK

Each year, Corps complete hundreds of high-quality and often technical projects
on public lands and waters. Project sponsors consistently express a high degree of
satisfaction with the quality of work and productivity of the Corps. Virtually all
Federal project partners (99.6 percent) say they would work with Corps again.
Types of work include, but are not limited to:
Protecting wildlife and improving access to public land and waters;
Preparing communities for disasters and responding when needed;
Enhancing recreation on public lands;
Protecting communities and public lands from the devastating effects of wildfire;
Preserving historic structures; and

74
Enhancing neighborhoods and community public spaces.
COST SAVINGS

By partnering with Conservation Corps, Federal land and water management

agencies achieve more with their operating budgets. Research conducted by the National Park Services Park Facility Management Division indicates that hiring Conservation Corps to complete maintenance and trail projects resulted in significant
savings.
The analysis considered 15 diverse trail and maintenance projects throughout the
country in places including Mesa Verde National Park, Glacier National Park, Point
Reyes National Seashore, and Voyageurs National Park. The research found that
using Conservation Corps to complete maintenance and trail projects provided a cost
savings of over 50 percent.
FISCAL YEAR 2015 REQUEST

The Corps Network requests the subcommittees support for fiscal year 2015 programs that will allow public land and water management agencies to engage young
adults and veterans to meet our Nations backlogged maintenance needs, address
record youth unemployment, and prepare a diverse group of youth to be the next
generation of natural resource employees.
We respectfully request that in fiscal year 2015 the subcommittee fund the following accounts:
$2,283,852,000 for Operation of the National Parks.
$10,000,000 for the Centennial Challenge for the National Park Service.
$50,600,000 for Department of Interior Youth Programs.
Increased funding for operational accounts of the Department of the Interior
(DOI) Bureaus and United States Forest Service (USFS).
The first two accounts fall under National Park Service and the third is under
the Department of Interior. National Park Operations is a preexisting account governing operation of our national parks and the Centennial Challenge is a new program and was also proposed under the most recent Bush administration. These
funds will allow thousands of veterans, youth, and others to work upgrading the National Park System for its 100th anniversary in 2016. The Departments Youth Program funding would also provide work and training opportunities for young people
and veterans during 2014 and 2015. A key component of the Departments efforts
will be partnering with youth organizations through the 21st Century Conservation
Corps. We also support increased funding for all operational accounts at the other
Bureaus (Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Reclamation (BOR), and
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)) and at the U.S. Forest Service that could fund
partnerships with Conservation Corps.
As the National Park Service prepares for its 100th Anniversary, Congress has
an opportunity to invest in the popular and economically important National Park
Service. An investment this year will help parks recover from years of underfunding
and restore parks for the Centennial. Every dollar invested in the National Park
Service generates $10 in economic activity. The operations investment would provide for park rangers to maintain facilities and provide services to park visitors. The
Centennial Challenge investment would allow for the park service to leverage private matching funds through a 1:1 match for specific projects.
Beginning with the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great
Depression, and continuing to the recent launch of the 21st Century Conservation
Service Corps Initiative, organizations like Vermont Youth Conservation Corps,
Southeast Youth Corps, and California Conservation Corps have helped millions of
young Americans gain job training, further their education, and contribute to Americas communities through service and the conservation of national and State parks,
forests, and other treasured places.
The future of our Nations public lands depend upon the next generation becoming
active resource stewards. I hope that you will provide the funding to put thousands
of youth and returning veterans to work restoring some of Americas greatest historical, cultural, and natural treasures. With the approaching National Park Service
centennial, billions in backlogged maintenance across all of the land management
agencies, record youth unemployment, and the cost savings nature of public private
partnerships, this funding is an absolute win-win for our country.

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PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

COUNCIL

OF

ATHABASCAN TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS

I am pleased to submit this testimony to the subcommittee on behalf of the Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments (CATG). We are a consortium of 10 tribal governments located along the Yukon River and its tributaries in northeastern Alaska.
We provide a variety of services to our tribal members, including full healthcare
services at the Yukon Flats Health Center and village-based clinics in four of our
villages. We request that you implement the following measures in the fiscal year
2015 appropriations cycle:
Make full Contract Support Costs funding mandatory spending.
Increase funding for Village Built Clinics at least $8.5 million.
Fund the Indian Health Service (IHS) budget with advanced appropriations.
Reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program for Indians.
Allocate $50 million to the IHS from the Prevention and Public Health Fund
for tribal behavioral health grants.
Support Tribal jurisdiction to protect Alaska communities.
MANDATORY FUNDING FOR CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS

We are pleased that the Administration has sought to fully fund contract support
costs (CSC) under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
(ISDEAA) in fiscal year 2015, and we urge Congress to support that goal. We also
acknowledge that the administrations request is a direct response to Congress actions with regard to fiscal year 2014 appropriations, which removed historical caps
on CSC funding and rejected the administrations proposalput forward without
consultation and vehemently opposed by tribesto individually cap contract support
cost recovery at the contractor level. Contract support costs fund vital administrative functions that allow us to operate programs that provide critical services to our
members. If contract support costs are not fully funded, however, our programs and
services are directly impacted because we are forced to divert limited program funding to cover fixed overhead expenses instead. We therefore appreciate Congress support in fiscal year 2014 and hope that it carries through to fiscal year 2015 and beyond.
However, the CSC funding problem is not yet solved. Full funding for CSC must
not come with a penaltynamely, a reduction in program funding or effective permanent sequestration of Indian program funds. That result would have the same
devastating effect on our service delivery as the failure to fully fund CSC. Yet Congress, in the Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the fiscal year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act, noted that since [contract support costs] fall under
discretionary spending, they have the potential to impact all other programs funded
under the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, including other equally important tribal programs. Moreover, without any permanent measure to ensure full
funding, payment of CSC remains subject to agency discretion from year to year,
even though tribes are legally entitled to payment under the ISDEAA. Noting these
ongoing conflicts of law, Congress directed the agencies to consult with tribes on a
permanent solution.
In our view, there is a logical permanent solution which Congress is empowered
to implement: CSC should be appropriated as a mandatory entitlement. Under the
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, the full payment of CSC
is not discretionary; it is a legal obligation, affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Yet the budget authority for CSC is currently provided and controlled through appropriation actsas if it were a discretionary program. The fiscal year 2014 Joint
Explanatory Statement recognized that the current fundamental mismatch between
the mandatory nature of CSC and the current appropriation approach leaves both
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in the untenable position of
appropriating discretionary funds for the payment of any legally obligated contract
support costs. As the Joint Explanatory Statement also noted, Typically obligations of this nature are addressed through mandatory spending. The obvious solution then is to bring the appropriations process in line with the statutory requirements and to recognize CSC for what it is: a mandatory entitlement, not a discretionary program. We therefore strongly urge the Congress to move to appropriate
funding for CSC on a mandatory basis.
FUNDING FOR VILLAGE BUILT CLINICS IN ALASKA

For the last several years, Alaska organizations have submitted testimony to this
subcommittee on the need to address chronic underfunding of Village Built Clinics
(VBCs) in Alaska. VBCs, which are clinic facilities leased by the IHS from other entities, are a vital component of the provision of basic healthcare services in rural

76
Alaska, as they serve as the clinic space for the Community Health Aide Program
(CHAP) under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA). The CHAP, which
IHS is directed by the IHCIA to carry out, utilizes a network of community health
aides and practitioners to provide primary healthcare services in rural and isolated
areas where access to those services might not otherwise exist.
In 1989, Congress specifically authorized the operation of 170 VBCs in Alaska and
provided approximately $3 million in funding for the program for that year. Since
then, Congress has not provided amounts specifically for VBCs in the IHS appropriation, and IHS has had discretion to fund VBCs from its lump sum appropriation. But even though the 1989 appropriation was not a cap restricting IHS allocation of funds in later years, IHS has treated it as such and has refused to increase
funding for VBC leases. Funding therefore has not kept pace with inflation or the
rising costs of healthcare in rural and isolated areas. In fact, the chronic underfunding over decades has resulted in deterioration and in some cases closure of VBC
facilities, threatening the CHAP itself and access to basic healthcare services for
rural Alaskans that hinges on the continued availability of properly maintained
VBC space.
According to an estimate calculated several years ago by the Alaska Native
Health Board and adjusted for inflation, at least $8.3 million is needed to fully fund
the VBC leasing program. However, that estimate is outdated and likely falls significantly short of the actual need. CATG therefore urges that Congress appropriate
at least an additional $8.5 million to fully fund VBC leases and that IHS be directed
to use its existing appropriations to fully fund such leases.
This subcommittee should also be aware that, having attempted without success
for many years to convince IHS to accept its responsibilities for the VBCs as part
of the mandated CHAP program, some tribal organizations in Alaska are taking a
new approach. The Maniilaq Association recently requested that the IHS enter into
a mandatory lease under 105(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act for one of the VBCs that Maniilaq owns. Implementing regulations
require payment under the lease to fully compensate for the costs of adequately operating and maintaining the facilities. However, the IHS refused to enter into the
lease, and the matter is now being litigated. If Maniilaq prevails, the case could establish legal precedent that will allow tribal contractors in Alaska to negotiate for
full funding for VBCs as part of their funding agreements under the IHSs ISDEAA
leasing authority. Though funding should be provided in full through the VBC program directly, the option to enter into a 105(l) lease must also be preserved as an
alternative funding mechanism.
FUND THE IHS THROUGH ADVANCED APPROPRIATIONS

An important goal for CATGand for all of Indian Countryis the reliable, advance appropriation of the IHS budget 1 year in advance. The goal is for IHS and
tribal healthcare providers to have adequate notice of the amount of Federal appropriations to expect and thus not be subjected to the uncertainties of late funding
and short-term Continuing Resolutions. Congress provides advance appropriations
for the Veterans Administration medical accounts, and the request is for parity in
the appropriations schedule for the IHS. Legislation to authorize IHS advance appropriations has been introducedH.R. 3229 by Representative Young and S. 1570
by Senators Murkowski and Begich. We request that you support such efforts to authorize and then appropriate the funds for IHS advance appropriations.
REAUTHORIZE THE SPECIAL DIABETES PROGRAM

While the entitlement funding for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians
(SDPI) is not part of the IHS appropriations process, those funds are administered
through the IHS. With the very recent passage by the House and Senate of a 1 year
extension of the SDPI as part of the Medicare doc fix bill, it is funded through
fiscal year 2015 at $150 million, minus a 2 percent reduction ($3 million) due to
the sequestration of non-exempt mandatory programs (Public Law 112240). This
funding level has not increased since 2004. The SDPI has proven highly effective
in Indian Country, and has produced excellent results. For example, in the 4 years
preceding the last report on the SDPI in 2011, the average blood sugar level
dropped nearly a percentage point overall, corresponding to a 40 percent decline in
the risk of eye, kidney, and nerve complications due to diabetes. We ask that you
support ongoing efforts to reauthorize this program for a 5-year period at increased
funding levels.

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INCREASE FUNDING FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, SUICIDE PREVENTION, AND ALCOHOL &
SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT

Alaska faces particular hardships in providing for our communities behavioral

and mental health services. There is a dire need for more prevention funding for
suicide intervention as well as alcohol and substance abuse prevention, particularly
for our youth. These efforts go hand in hand, as the problems often overlap. Alaska
has twice the national rate of suicide, and ranks second in the Nation in suicide
attempts requiring hospitalization. Alaska Native teens commit suicide at a rate
nearly six times that of non-Native teenagers. The suicide rate among all Alaskans
increased by 33 percent between 20052008a period when the national rate remained steady. Compounding and complicating the suicide epidemic is alcohol and
substance abuse or a mental health disorder. The overwhelming majority of the people we lose to suicide suffer from diagnosable, treatable mental health or substance
abuse problems. However, the waiting list for treatment averages nearly 9 months,
and due to lack of funding there is often no place to refer people, particularly young
people.
Alcohol and substance abuse contributes to myriad other problems as well, including crime, domestic violence, child abuse or neglect. Oftentimes, tribes in Alaska
have a difficult time working through the State of Alaska to provide these services,
which adds layers of guidelines, regulations, and reduced funding. We have found
that tribes and tribal organizations should receive behavioral funds directly, because
programs that implement traditional cultural values are more successful than those
that dont. Included in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is mandatory funding ($17.7
billion over 10 years) for a Prevention and Public Health (PPH) Fund from which
Congress may allocate funding to various programs. In fiscal year 2012 the administration requested that $50 million of it be allocated to a new tribal behavioral health
grant program; unfortunately Congress did not provide that allocation. We urge that
Congress allocate $50 million from the PPH to the IHS in fiscal year 2015 for this
purpose and that it be recurring.
SUPPORT TRIBAL JURISDICTION TO PROTECT ALASKA COMMUNITIES

We support the ongoing efforts to amend S. 1474, the Alaska Safe Families and
Villages Act, in a manner that would recognize Alaska tribes jurisdiction to protect
their communities by dealing locally with domestic violence, sexual assault and drug
and alcohol abuse. At the same time, we greatly appreciate the provision that is already in S. 1474 which would repeal section 910 of the Violence Against Women Act
Reauthorization that left Alaska tribes out of the expanded tribal jurisdiction over
domestic violence affirmed in that law. These changes will require additional Bureau of Indian Affairs resources regarding law enforcement and courts. We look forward to continued work with our congressional delegation and others on this legislation of such crucial importance to Alaska Native communities.
Thank you for your consideration of our concerns and requests. We are happy to
respond to questions or provide any additional information you may request.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

COWLITZ INDIAN TRIBE

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, distinguished members of the subcommittee; I want to thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of funding
for certain programs for American Indians and Alaska Natives. They include programs under the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service, Environmental
Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Secretary of Interiors Office, and
the National Park Service.
BACKGROUND

Since the Cowlitz Indian Tribe was restored to Federal recognition in 2002, we
have strived to develop services to protect and promote the well-being of our people.
We have approximately 3,800 tribal members with the majority residing within or
close to our traditional homelands in southwestern Washington State. Although we
still have no reservation, our leadership continues to move forward the vision to provide for our people. We have established several Departments and Programs since
2002. The work of this subcommittee is critical in our ability to continue our obligation to serve our people.
Federal grant programs are particularly critical to our well-being because without
a reservation, we have no trust land on which to conduct economic development to
fund governmental services. Making our situation even more difficult, we are ineligible for the wide variety of Federal grant programs that are tied to reservation

78
lands. As a result, the Federal grant programs discussed in this testimony are of
even more critical importance to the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.
Despite the fact that we are landless, we do what we can to provide essential
services to our people, and in so doing we believe we also directly and indirectly
benefit surrounding communities. We also participate extensively at the local, State,
and Federal level through established and emerging partnerships across a broad
range of programs and initiatives. We believe that it is important to not only provide for our memberships well-being, but work to be a positive and contributing influence with our neighbors. Planning, supporting, and implementing activities that
restore and protect our economies, natural surroundings, and future stability is important to us. The Cowlitz Tribal leadership is very much appreciative and dependent on the programs under this subcommittees jurisdiction. It would be impossible
for us to be a contributing partner without your support.
THE COWLITZ TRIBES SEVEN PRIORITIES

The Cowlitz Indian Tribe respectfully requests that the subcommittee:

1. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Aid to Tribal Government Program.Increase
program funding from the $24.614 million proposed in the Presidents fiscal
year 2015 budget to $30 million.
2. Indian Health Service (IHS) fiscal year 2015 Appropriations Report Congress.
Ensure IHS makes revisions to the Health Facilities Construction Priority System as directed in the fiscal year 2000 Interior Appropriations Bill.
3. Environmental Protection Agencys (EPAs) Indian General Assistance Program (GAP).Support the Presidents fiscal year 2015 budget request of $96.4
million.
4. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agencys (USFWS) Tribal Wildlife Grant Program.
Increase proposed fiscal year 2015 budget from $4 million to $10 million.
5. Support $1.25 million to be directed to the Office of the Secretary of Interiors
Leadership and Administration Activity for fiscal year 2015 for Federal/Tribal
collaborative analytical work and consultations during domestic reconsideration of the Columbia River Treaty.
6. BIA administered tribal transportation programs.Support the Tribal Transportation Unity Caucuss (TTUC) proposed increase for fiscal year 2015.
7. National Park Service (NPS) proposed fiscal year 2015 for National Native
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Grants.Increase funding
from the Presidents $1.657 million request to $2 million.
1. BIA Aid to Tribal Government Funding Increase.The primary backbone of
support for our tribes general operations is funded through BIAs Aid to Tribal Government program. It is an essential source of funds that supports the general operations of our administration, Natural & Cultural Resources Department, and provides many other services critical to our people and governance. With this core funding, we have been able to provide essential government services, employment opportunity, regional partnerships, grant programs, and to provide increased security for
our tribe and employees. For a tribe that continues to struggle in obtaining our own
economic base, this funding source remains critical to keep governmental operations
functioning. Funding under this program does not meet all the needs of our tribe,
but as we try and obtain our own economic base, it improves our tribes ability to
oversee program implementation and allows us to deliver essential services to our
members. In sum, funding for tribal administration of programs is a key element
towards our ability to support tribal self-governance.
2. IHS Facilities Construction Priority System.The IHS system is significantly
underfunded and an imbalance of resources has developed within the system. An
example of this is the frozen facilities construction list. We respectfully request the
subcommittee to address this underfunding and also the delivery system imbalance
and require the IHS to report to Congress its revisions to the Health Facilities Construction Priority System as directed in the fiscal year 2000 Interior Appropriations
Bill. The current system was developed over 23 years ago and prioritizes construction projects on antiquated data in a completely changed healthcare delivery environment. Most projects would not score high enough to be funded today relative to
the needs of other tribes nationally. The system is broken and unfairly prohibits
tribes from accessing important facilities construction funding on an equal basis as
the tribes on the current priority list. The subcommittee should direct IHS to develop a facility construction priority system to address the unmet facility construction needs of all tribes and not just those on the current priority list. A new priority
system should also incorporate the staffing needs for those tribes that have built
their own health facilities without IHS resources. The Cowlitz Tribe received its ap-

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propriation for funding its Health Systems in 2000. In November 2002 we received
funding for Contract Health Services only and no funding for direct services.
3. EPA Indian General Assistance Program (GAP).GAP has been a vital program for our tribe since Federal acknowledgement. It has allowed for our ability to
build capacity for the many natural resource programs and tends to the needs of
our memberships health and well-being. It gave us the ability to deal with very important resources issues of the tribe such as representation on key resource management concerns in the region. It has allowed our ability (and maintain) to forge positive relationships and work with local communities to protect and restore resources.
EPA heard from the tribes in past years that funding under this program was well
short to meet the needs to build capacity for addressing environmental issues within
their homelands. We believe that this is a key program that needs to be maintained
adequately well into the future in order to protect and restore the quality of life and
culture for Indian Country.
4. USFWS Tribal Wildlife Grant Program Increase.Our tribe has been fortunate
to receive two Tribal Wildlife Grants (TWG) administered by USFWS. With these
grants we continue to contribute toward positive partnerships with State and Federal managers over recovery efforts of endangered Columbian White-tailed deer
(CWTD) of the Lower Columbia River region. This species was one of the first to
be listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in the 1970s. Since we received
our TWG, our involvement has heightened awareness to the issue of recovery of this
long-standing recovery concern. We brought fresh new skills and thoughtfulness as
to what was needed to create a path to recovery and eventual de-listing under ESA.
We are proud to be one of the primary participants that are leading CWTD towards
recovery and eventual de-listing. We believe it is important that collaborative partnerships with Tribal, Federal, and State resource managers are the key to achieve
success towards species recovery efforts. The TWG program provides tribes capacity
and opportunity to contribute to efforts that is deeply tied to traditional and cultural
life-ways. We request that funding be restored to this program so other tribes can
experience the great work that can be accomplished under this program.
5. Columbia River Treaty Coordination and Technical Capacity Funding.There
are 15 Columbia Basin tribes, supported by three tribal organizations of the Columbia Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Upper Columbia United Tribes, and the Upper
Snake River Tribes, who have participated in the development of a regional consensus based recommendation on the modernization of the Columbia River Treaty
between the U.S. and Canada. The Columbia Basin tribes have been key participants in the development and adoption of the U.S. Entitys regional recommendation (coordinated by the Bonneville Power Administration and the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers). The Cowlitz Tribe along with other tribes participated extensively in
this effort and continues to be committed towards future improvements on how the
Columbia Basin water resources are managed. The recommendation is currently
being considered by the U.S. Department of State to determine next steps in working with Canada to modernize the treaty. During this time there is a need for ongoing evaluation and coordination by the Columbia Basin tribes. The tribes have
very limited availability of time and funds to conduct this vital work. The Columbia
Basin tribes need approximately $1.25 million to continue to collaborate on necessary technical evaluations and assessments, as well as to consult with the U.S.
Department of State, the U.S. Entity, other sovereigns, and stakeholders for fiscal
year 2015.
6. BIA Administered Tribal Transportation Programs.Transportation infrastructure serving tribal communities is the most unsafe, rudimentary and under-maintained transportation network in the Country. Approximately 1,069 of 4,400 Indian
Reservation Roads (IRR) Program bridges are currently rated as deficient. Cost of
rehabilitating or replacing the 1,069 IRR bridges is likely to exceed $595 million.
Consistent with TTUC recommendations, we support and request for an increase in
funding levels for fiscal year 2015 to $1,050,000,000 for Federal Lands Highway
(FLH) Program: (A) Indian Reservation Roads under section 204 of title 23; increase
funding levels for fiscal year 2015 to $100 million for FLH program: (XX) Indian
Reservation Road Bridge Program under Section 202(d)(4); and increase Highway
Trust Fund funding for Tribal High Priority Projects Program for fiscal year 2015
with $35 million including $5 million annual increases until fiscal year 2020.
7. National Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Grants.The
Cowlitz Tribe has in the past received a NAGPRA grant which helped fund a successful multi-tribe consortium to allow the re-interment of multiple ancestors at
Fort Vancouver, Washington. The success of this project has created great opportunity for future multi-tribal projects to deal with long-standing concerns about repatriation issues. We would like to see continued funding of such projects, because
there are still Native people and materials needing to be returned to their rightful

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places, as well as other projects the Cowlitz Tribe would like to undertake so we
can continue to address these or similar situations as they arise.
CONCLUSION

The Cowlitz Tribe would like to re-iterate our thanks and appreciation for the opportunity to testify on the development of appropriations under this subcommittees
jurisdiction. We look forward to working with members of Congress to continue to
build upon our successes and address future needs. We urge Congress to uphold its
solemn promises to tribes, even as policymakers seek to reduce the deficit through
spending reductions and revenue generation. The Federal Governments obligations
to Indian tribes reflect the Federal Governments general trust responsibility for
tribes and are based on numerous long-standing agreements made between tribes
and the United States.
The Cowlitz Indian Tribe is happy to answer any questions Congress may have
about the testimony we have provided here or about the programs we implement.
Thank you again for your time to consider our testimony.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

DANCE/USA

THE IMPORTANCE OF FUNDING FOR THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS (NEA)

Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the subcommittee, Dance/USA is

grateful for the opportunity to submit testimony on behalf of Dance/USA, its board
of directors and its 500 members. We strongly urge the Subcommittee on Interior,
Environment, and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations to designate a total of $155 million to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for
fiscal year 2015. This testimony and the funding examples described below are intended to highlight the importance of Federal investment in the arts, so critical to
sustaining a vibrant cultural community throughout the country.
The NEA makes it possible for everyone to enjoy and benefit from the performing
arts. Before the establishment of the NEA in 1965, the arts were limited mostly to
a few big cities. The NEA has helped to strengthen regional dance, opera, theater
and other artistic disciplines that Americans now enjoy. NEA funding provides access to the arts in regions with histories of inaccessibility due to economic or geographic limitations. The Endowment embodies the ideal that no one should be deprived of the opportunity to have art in their lives. The Arts Endowment has helped
the arts become accessible to more Americans, which in turn has increased public
participation in the arts.
THE NEA IS A GREAT INVESTMENT IN THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF EVERY COMMUNITY

Despite diminished resources, including a budget that has decreased by over $20
million since 2010, the NEA awarded more than 2,100 grants in 2013, totaling more
than $112 million in appropriated funds, and reaching more than 38 million people
who attended live arts events through NEA-supported programs. These grants help
nurture the growth and artistic excellence of thousands of arts organizations and
artists in every corner of the country. NEA grants also preserve and enhance our
Nations diverse cultural heritage. The modest public investment in the Nations cultural life results in both new and classic works of art, reaching the residents of all
50 States and in every congressional district.
The return of the Federal Governments small investment in the arts is striking.
In 2013, the American creative sector was measured by the Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The BEA and the NEA developed an Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account which calculated the arts and culture sectors contributions to the gross domestic product (GDP) at 3.2 percent (or $504 billion) of currentdollar GDP in 2011. Additionally, the nonprofit arts industry generates $135.2 billion annually in economic activity, supporting 4.13 million full-time equivalent jobs
in the arts and related industries.
On average each NEA grant leverages at least $9 from other State, local, and private sources, generating roughly $600 million in matching support. Few other Federal investments realize such economic benefits, not to mention the intangible benefits that only the arts make possible. Even in the face of cutbacks in the recent
years, the NEA continues to be a beacon for arts organizations across the country.
The return on investments is not only found in dollar matches. The average city
and county reports that nonprofit arts and culture organizations had 5,215 volunteers who donated 201,719 hours. These volunteer hours have a value of approximately $4.5 milliona demonstration that citizens value the arts in their communities.

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NEA GRANTS AT WORK

Past NEA funding has directly supported projects in which arts organizations, artists, schools and teachers collaborated to provide opportunities for adults and children to create, perform, and respond to artistic works. NEA funding has also made
the art form more widely available in all States, including isolated rural areas and
inner cities; indeed, NEA funded projects cross all racial, geographic, and socioeconomic lines.
NEA grants are awarded to dance organizations through its core programs: Art
Works; Challenge America Fast Track Grants; and Federal/State Partnerships. In
fiscal year 2013, the NEA awarded 164 grants to the dance field through Art Works,
totaling $3,972,000.
AXIS DANCE COMPANY$20,000; OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

To support Dance Access and Dance Access/Kids! educational and outreach programs in the Bay Area and on a national tour. These activities will offer a variety
of events for youth and adults with and without disabilities who are based locally
and nationally.
DIAVOLO DANCE THEATRE$20,000; LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

To support educational and outreach programs during the companys national

tour. The project will include a Young Peoples Concert, community workshops, master classes, and residencies. The Young Peoples Concert is an interactive student
matinee show that includes choreography excerpts, discussion of teamwork, interactive exercises about movement and fitness, and active audience participation.
Diavolo will work with presenters to tailor an educational and outreach program for
each community on its tour.
EUGENE BALLET$30,000; EUGENE, OREGON

To support regional dance touring and outreach activities. The company will
present a repertory program featuring Artistic Director Toni Pimbles Silk and
Steel, Concerto Gross, a full-length Cinderella, and Gerald Arpinos Light
Rain. The repertory program will also include school presentations of Pulcinella,
with accompanying study guides for students.
KANSAS CITY BALLET$20,000; KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

To support New Moves, a showcase for new dance works by emerging local and
national choreographers. The program will afford Kansas City Ballet members the
opportunity to create, produce, and perform works while learning from nationally
recognized choreographers. Performances will take place at the Michael and Ginger
Frost Studio and Theater at Kansas City Ballets Todd Bolender Center for Dance
Creativity.
NASHVILLE BALLET$20,000; NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

To support the staging and presentation of choreographer Jiri Kylians Petite

Mort with live accompaniment by The Nashville Symphony. The work will be presented on the same bill as George Balanchines Serenade, along with a new dance
production by Artistic Director Paul Vasterling, choreographed to an original composition by Ben Folds.
THE NON-PROFIT PROFESSIONAL DANCE COMMUNITY

Americas dance companies perform a wide range of styles and genres. These include both classical and contemporary ballet, classical and contemporary modern, as
well as jazz, tap, cross-disciplinary fusions and traditional to modern work rooted
in other cultures. Over two-thirds of Americas professional dance companies are
less than 45 years old; as an established art form with national identity and presence, dance has burst onto the scene almost entirely within living memory. And yet,
America can boast some of the greatest dance companies of the world and can take
credit for birthing two indigenous dance stylestap and modern dance.
One key to this spectacular achievement has been the creation of a national marketplace for dance. When the National Endowment for the Arts instituted its Dance
Touring Program in the 1970s, great dance became accessible to every community
in America. What used to be a handful of professional companies and a scattering
of regional dance has become a national treasure spread across cities and through
communities, schools and theaters in all 50 States. Based on data from almost 300

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nonprofit dance companies from across the United States, Dance/USA estimates
that dance companies:
Employed over 14,800 people in a mix of full-time and part-time positions;
Paid approximately $345.7 million, or 53 percent of expenses, in wages and benefits;
Earned $200 million, or 29 percent of their income, from performances;
Received $326.6 million, or 48 percent of their income in contributions (including public support, corporate contributions, foundation support, and individual
donations);
Generated more than $661.5 million in economic activity across the United
States.
Dance/USA, the national service organization for the professional dance field, believes that dance is essential to a healthy society, demonstrating the infinite possibilities for human expression and potential, and facilitating communication within
and across cultures. Dance/USA sustains and advances professional dance by addressing the needs, concerns, and interests of artists, administrators, and organizations. Dance/USAs membership currently consists of nearly 500 aerial, ballet, modern, culturally specific, jazz, and tap companies, dance service and presenting organizations, individuals, and related organizations. Dance/USAs member companies
range in size from operating budgets of under $100,000 to over $50 million.
CONCLUSION

Despite overwhelming support by the American public for spending Federal tax
dollars in support of the arts, the NEA has never recovered from a 40 percent budget cut in the mid-nineties and found its budget further decreased by $22 million
since 2010, leaving its programs seriously underfunded. We urge you to continue toward restoration and increase the NEA funding allocation to $155 million for fiscal
year 2015.
On behalf of Dance/USA, thank you for considering this request.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

DEFENDERS

OF

WILDLIFE

Mister Chairman, Ranking Member and members of the subcommittee, thank you
for the opportunity to submit testimony for the record. Founded in 1947, Defenders
has more than one million members and supporters and is dedicated to the conservation of wild animals and plants in their natural communities.
North America is fortunate to have some of the most abundant and diverse wildlife on Earth, more than 200,000 known species in the U.S. alone. This unique and
irreplaceable heritage is treasured by all Americans both for its aesthetic value as
well as for the very tangible benefits it brings as a resource. For example, a third
of our food is pollinated by birds, bats, and insects; wildlife associated recreation
generated $145 billion in economic benefits in 2011; 1 bats provide at least $3.7 billion to the agricultural industry in pest control services each year; 2 and the value
of ecosystem services from habitat in the contiguous 48 States is estimated at $1.6
trillion annually.3 Cuts since fiscal year 2010 to Federal programs that conserve
wildlife and habitat have severely undermined sound management. Funding decreases in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Endangered Species program delayed the recovery of endangered Florida manatees by preventing crucial habitat restoration
work. Continued cuts will likely lead to irreversible harm to vulnerable species and
habitat. Our Nations wildlife is a treasure and well worth the investment to properly care for it.
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is our Nations premier wildlife conservation agency. We were deeply disappointed that the agency received a 27 percent cut in the fiscal year 2014 House Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
appropriations bill. FWS needs robust funding, not cuts, if it is to recover threatened and endangered species and protect migratory birds and fish, species of global
conservation concern and other trust species, and stop or prevent wildlife crimes.
1 The 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife Associated Recreation, USFWS,
12/12.
2 http://www.sciencemag.org/content/332/6025/41.summary?sid=853248fd-6760-4341-93d02aeeab9ea450.
3 The Economics Associated with Outdoor Recreation, Natural Resources Conservation and
Historic Preservation in the United States, Southwick Associates, 9/29/11.

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Cooperative Recovery.Defenders supports the Presidents requested increases of
$1.5 million in Conservation and Restoration under Ecological Services and
$300,000 under Migratory Bird Management. This initiative is supporting more efficient and strategic efforts across landscapes to recover threatened and endangered
species on National Wildlife Refuges and surrounding lands.
Renewable Energy.Defenders supports the Presidents requested increases of
$1.1 million in Planning and Consultation under Ecological Services to support approvals of renewable energy projects while ensuring they do not significantly harm
wildlife, and $1.4 million under Service Science to assess potential impacts of energy
transmission corridors on sensitive lands and wildlife in the West and to identify
mitigation strategies.
Endangered Species.The Presidents request proposes a major restructuring of
the Ecological Services Activity which includes the Endangered Species program.
Defenders is concerned about whether the new structure will allow for adequate
transparency and accountability, particularly in the large General Program Activities program elements. Before any such restructuring is permitted, the agency
must show that it has adequate controls in place to ensure the strategic use of this
funding and a transparent process for developing priorities and reporting how funds
are allocated. Absent this information, Defenders supports maintaining the current
budget structure and requests increases for the endangered species portion of Ecological Services, $21.7 million, which includes:
A $4 million increase to support the unprecedented effort to conserve the greater sage-grouse and its sagebrush habitat.
A $2.3 million increase for listing species. This funding will support progress
in listing approximately 145 candidate species, many of which have awaited Endangered Species Act (ESA) protection for years.
An $11.1 million increase to support the recovery of the more than 1,500 listed
U.S. species so that ESA protection is no longer necessary.
Defenders opposes a $1 million reduction for the Wolf Livestock Loss Demonstration Program that assists livestock owners co-existing with wolves, and
we urge its restoration.
National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS).Our National Wildlife Refuge System
is the largest land and water system in the world dedicated to wildlife conservation.
Refuges provide enormous benefits to the American people, generating $2.4 billion
each year for local economies. A September 2013 memorandum from the Systems
Chief detailed significant damage from budget cuts since fiscal year 2010 with conservation effectiveness in numerous areas declining dangerously. The request includes a $4.2 million increase which includes funding for Challenge Cost share
projects with partners and volunteer groups and for law enforcement but it is not
sufficient. Instead, Defenders supports an $8 million increase over fiscal year 2014
which is the minimal amount needed each year to keep up with operating costs such
as fuel, utilities and rent. We also support legislative language proposed by the administration that would provide authority to recover compensation from responsible
parties who injure or destroy Refuge System or Hatchery System resources similar
to that of the National Park Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and allows compensation to be applied directly to repair the injury
without further appropriation by Congress.
Cooperative Landscape Conservation.Defenders supports the Presidents requested increase of $3.3 million that will support the continued development and
work of the Landscape Conservation Cooperatives that are working to solve complex
problems across large landscapes.
Science Support.The requested $14.4 million increase will help to answer pressing questions about climate adaptation and other landscape level ecological changes
as well as about energy development, White-Nose Syndrome that is devastating bat
populations, and other agency management challenges.
Migratory Bird Management.U.S. bird populations have experienced precipitous
declines in recent years. Full funding of the programs $46.922 million request will
support the programs work to survey and monitor, reduce hazards, manage permits, and restore habitat for migratory birds.
Environmental Contaminants.Under Ecological Services, a $1.2 million increase
in Planning and Consultation will help to support the process for national consultations related to pesticide registrations and a $2 million increase in Conservation and
Restoration will help increase capacity to respond to impacts of contaminant releases.
Office of Law Enforcement.A $2.5 million increase requested by the President
will support wildlife science forensics and efforts to combat an unprecedented level
of illegal trade in wildlife.

84
International Affairs.A $1.1 million increase in the request will support local
communities in reducing poaching of flagship species such as tigers, rhinoceros, and
elephants.
Other key grant programs.Defenders supports the requested funding amounts
for the Multinational Species Conservation Fund, the Neotropical Migratory Bird
Fund, and the Cooperative Endangered Species Fund (CESF). We are opposed to the
$8.695 million cut for State and Tribal Wildlife grants and urge that the program
be funded at no less than the fiscal year 2014 level. In addition, we are opposed
to the request to fund non-land acquisition planning and conservation grants from
the Land and Water Conservation Fund under the CESF.
FOREST SERVICE AND BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (FS) are essential to the conservation of wildlife and habitat in the United States, yet their resources are not adequate to meet significant challenges. A top priority for Defenders
is ensuring that renewable energy development on these lands proceeds in a balanced way that maintains the ecological integrity of our public lands and waters,
conserves wildlife habitat and populations, and contributes to agency efforts to successfully recover our most imperiled wildlife. We urge strong oversight to ensure
that any energy development is done in an environmentally sensitive fashion. Given
their large land ownerships it is imperative that both participate fully in landscape
level conservation and management efforts.
FS Integrated Resource Restoration (IRR)/Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management.The administration has again proposed merging a number of accounts, including Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management, into an integrated budget. Instead, Defenders supports maintaining funding for Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat
Management at no less than the fiscal year 2014 level and continuing IRR as a pilot
so that the agency can demonstrate its ability to adequately protect habitat for fish
and wildlife under the consolidated program. Evaluating the Integrated Resource
Restoration Line Item: Results from Phase 1, a recent independent study of the
pilot program through the University of Oregon and Colorado State University, indicated that a combination of hard targets, including hard timber targets, coupled
with declining budgets, may reduce investment in wildlife conservation.
FS Land Management Planning/Inventory and Monitoring.The request again
proposes merging these two programs into a single line item. As with IRR, we are
concerned about such a consolidation unless the agency can demonstrate its ability
to carry out its responsibilities under these two programs and urge continued discrete funding for each at no less than the fiscal year 2014 level.
FS Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program.We support the requested increase of $20 million for this proven cost-effective program established
specifically to create job stability, achieve reliable wood supply, restore forest and
watershed health, improve wildlife habitat, and reduce both the costs of fire suppression in overgrown forests and the risk of uncharacteristic wildfires.
FS Forest and Rangeland Research (FS R&D).We are opposed to the $17.490
million cut in the request for FS R&D and we urge funding at no less than the fiscal
year 2014 level. Adequate funding for this program is crucial in providing relevant
tools and information to support sustainable management of National Forest System
lands as well as non-Federal forest lands. Generally, we are concerned that the Forest Service may lack adequate applied scientific capacity to implement critical planning and management actions, including the 2012 planning rule.
BLM National Greater Sage-Grouse Planning Strategy.Defenders supports continued full funding of the $65.2 million request for the Wildlife and Fisheries Management program, a $347,000 increase, which includes support for the greater sagegrouse planning initiative, on-the-ground habitat restoration, and monitoring. We
recently released an analysis of all draft plans developed under the Planning Strategy, In the Red: How Proposed Conservation Plans Fail to Protect Greater SageGrouse, which found that the plans in their current form recommend inconsistent
and inadequate conservation measures. We urge the subcommittee to work with the
agency to ensure that the plans are improved so that the final plans will be adequate to conserve and restore this iconic bird.
BLM Threatened and Endangered Species Management.According to agency reports, the BLM has funding to implement only about 10 percent of the work it is
required to do in recovery plans for ESA listed species on BLM lands, but the request includes just a $178,000 increase. Instead, Defenders supports an increase of
$1 million over the request which simply restores the budget to the fiscal year 2010
level and will better help move listed species to recovery.

85
BLM Renewable Energy.Full funding of the $29.2 million request, a $171,000
increase, will help BLM to move forward with renewable energy development on
public lands while avoiding areas with natural resource conflicts, including conflicts
with sensitive wildlife species.
BLM Resource Management Planning.The $5.2 million increase in the Presidents request is crucial to support priority planning efforts for vast areas of BLM
lands, including maintaining the currency of resource management plans.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

The U.S. Geological Survey provides the basic science necessary for conservation
of fish, wildlife and habitat. We urge support for the following increases:
National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center/Climate Science Centers.
An $11.6 million increase in the request will support scientific needs in planning
for climate change adaptation and building resiliency of ecosystems.
Ecosystems.A $9.2 million increase in the request will help to support development of crucial scientific information for sound management of our Nations biological resources including research into declines of native pollinators and measures
needed to avoid harming sensitive wildlife, especially bats and birds, from renewable energy development.
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND (LWCF)

Defenders supports the proposal in the request for full and permanent funding of
LWCF that will help to save some of the 6,000 acres of open space, including wildlife habitat, that are lost each day in the United States.4 Thank you for the opportunity to testify.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

DENVER WATER

APRIL 7, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: On behalf of Denver Water, I am
requesting your support for fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife
Service (FWS) for the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program
and the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program consistent with
the Presidents recommended budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
JAMES S. LOCHHEAD,
CEO/Manager.
4 http://www.fs.fed.us/openspace/cooplacrosslboudaries.html.

86
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

EDISON ELECTRIC INSTITUTE

The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) respectfully submits this written testimony for
the record to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment,
and Related Agencies. We appreciate this opportunity to share our views on some
of the fiscal year 2015 programs for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The U.S. electric generation fleet is facing numerous challenges. Among these are
EPA regulations, including pending rulemakings on Clean Water Act section 316(b)
cooling water intake structures, coal ash disposal, waters of the U.S., steam-electric effluent limitation guidelines, and greenhouse gas new source performance
standards, as well as other significant pending Clean Air Act regulations. These requirements will dramatically affect individual utility decisions regarding construction of new generation and the retrofitting and retirement of existing plants. Therefore, I am sharing with you our views on a number of these proposals that could
significantly impact the ability of electric utilities to ensure an adequate, reliable
and affordable supply of electricity for consumers.
WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES

On March 25, 2014, EPA released a draft proposed rule to revise the regulatory
definition of waters of the United States (WOTUS) for purposes of the Clean
Water Act (CWA). The draft would have the effect of expanding the scope of Federal
CWA jurisdiction at the expense of State jurisdiction to virtually all waters and
every program under the CWA.
The draft rule, if implemented, would vastly expand the triggering of CWA regulatory and permitting requirements for electric utility land-use activities, including
generation construction and operations, as well as transmission construction and
maintenance. Decommissioning operations would also be negatively impacted.
EPA asserts it is not changing the existing exemption from WOTUS for waste
treatment systems; however, that is not clear from the proposed rule text. Modifying
the current exclusion by regulatory fiat could require electric facilities to comply
with CWA limitations prior to discharge into impoundments. Often, this is not even
technically or economically feasible.
Under EPAs proposal, the energy industry would face significant challenges in its
effort to expand and upgrade infrastructure, primarily in the form of major project
permitting delays, costly resource outlays for new permit applications, and an unprecedented level of regulatory uncertainty and inconsistency in the administration
of CWA permitting programs. Such an outcome disregards the administrations commitment to streamline permitting timelines and promote early Federal, State and
local coordination for Federal permitting processes applicable to domestic energy infrastructure programs.
In light of the significant and numerous legal, economic and scientific deficiencies
with this proposal, EEI respectfully urges the subcommittee to adopt a legislative
amendment to its fiscal year 2015 legislation that would bar EPA from implementing a final rule. In the alternative, we request that the subcommittee require
the agency to contract with the National Academy of Sciences for a study to establish a scientific basis for defining a significant nexus to guide development of a
more scientifically grounded regulatory standard.
CLEAN WATERS ACT SECTION 316(B) COOLING WATER INTAKE STRUCTURES RULE

In 2011, EPA issued a proposed rule under Section 316(b) of the Clean Water Act.
The proposal, which is now expected to be finalized by April 17, 2014, will require
changes in cooling waters intake structures, physical constructions through which
water is withdrawn for cooling purposes, for the vast majority of Americas existing
steam-electric generating plants and a wide range of manufacturing and industrial
facilities. The proposed rule focuses on reducing fish and shellfish mortality attributed to impingement on intake structure screens and entrainment into cooling
water systems.
The proposed 316(b) rule would apply to facilities whose construction began before
January 18, 2002, and where the total design intake flow of the cooling water intake
structure(s) is greater than 2 million gallons of water per day. It would apply to
all existing steam-electric facilities, including ones that have closed-cycle cooling and
those that have once-through cooling. Importantly, the rule does not distinguish between nuclear, coal and gas units.
EEI continues to believe that a science-based rule, one that is fair and flexible,
should include reasonable compliance requirements and deadlines. In order to protect the environment and avoid unnecessary burdens on electricity consumers, such
a rule should only impose technically justifiable mandates when costscommensu-

87
rate with benefitsare part of the appropriate course of action. We remain concerned that an overly prescriptive, rigid rule would encourage unnecessary retrofits
and result in significant negative environmental, energy, cost, and local reliability
impacts on hundreds of electric generation facilities across the country.
With several unresolved implementation issues undergoing final interagency review, EEI urges the subcommittee to ensure that a final 316(b) rule addresses electric system reliability and encourages the use of flexible compliance mechanisms in
a cost-effective manner.
COAL COMBUSTION PRODUCT REGULATION

EPAs Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) rule is currently in proposed form. The
proposal offers two optionsregulating coal ash as either hazardous waste or as
non-hazardous waste. EEI continues to advocate for the non-hazardous regulatory
framework that provides a workable timeline for implementation and protects safety, human health and the environment.
In addition, we continue to advocate for legislation that would establish a Federal
non-hazardous, State-implemented waste regulatory program for coal ash disposal.
In July 2013, the House of Representatives passed such legislation, H.R. 2218, the
Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act. Later this year the Senate is expected
to introduce a companion bill.
EEI urges subcommittee support for a non-hazardous regulatory program for
CCRs similar to the provisions outlined in H.R. 2218. Such an approach would build
on existing State regulatory programs and ensure proper disposal of CCRs in a
manner that is cost-effective and without unintended consequences. This approach
enjoys bipartisan support in Congress and has been endorsed by the States, ash recyclers and our industry.
EFFLUENT LIMITATION GUIDELINES RULEMAKING

In June 2013, EPA proposed the first significant revision of the Clean Water Act
steam effluent limitation guidelines (ELGs) in more than 30 years. The proposal
sets strict technology-based effluent limitations that will force technological and
operational changes at existing coal-based facilities, many gas-based combined-cycle
facilities, and some nuclear generation facilities. The impact to industry on the effluent guidelines rule could be in the hundreds of billions of dollars.
In September 2013, EEI filed extensive agency comments, noting that most of the
proposed compliance options would impose substantial costs on the electric generation fleet without providing corresponding benefits. We have requested the agency
to provide adequate time for utilities to implement any new requirements in the
final ELG rule, as well as coordinate compliance with other rulemakings that affect
the power industry. EPA must also revise its technical approaches with more current and reliable data.
We look forward to working with the subcommittee to ensure EPA fully considers
the economic challenges and obligations of the power sector as a whole, and that
criteria for the final rule is based on credible and sound data to achieve maximum,
cost-effective reductions.
GREENHOUSE GAS NEW SOURCE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS (NSPS) FOR NEW AND
EXISTING SOURCES

The electric power sector has made impressive reductions in its greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions, including a 15 percent reduction from 2005 levels as of 2012. Nevertheless, major steps in the development of GHG emissions regulations will occur
this year as EPA moves forward with Clean Air Act performance standards for both
new and existing sources.
New Sources
In September 2013, EPA issued re-proposed New Source Performance Standards
(NSPS) for new units. These re-proposed standards, which replaced a proposal in
April 2012, were published in the Federal Register on January 8, 2014.
EEI is developing industry comments that will largely track those filed on the
original 2012 proposal. We remain concerned about the ability of natural gas units
to comply with the standards under normal operating conditions, especially as more
variable renewable resources are deployed, causing natural gas units to cycle more
to support the integration of such resources into the grid.
We also are concerned about the lack of an explicit exemption for simple-cycle
combustion turbines, and continue to object to EPAs determination that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a commercially demonstrated technology for coal-based
electric generating units at this time. While EPA has proposed a separate standard

88
for coal, it has not created a workable pathway for coal going forward given the
costs and other regulatory barriers to CCS.
EPA is not compelled to finalize the new source standards by any particular date.
At this time, the agency is not expected to finalize these standards until mid-2015,
when existing source guidelines are expected to be promulgated.
Existing Sources
EPA has begun its initial, pre-proposal efforts to develop State guidelines for existing plants under CAA section 111(d). EPA, separately, will be addressing modified and reconstructed plants. The timeline includes proposing State emissions
guidelines for existing sources by June 2014 and the finalization of guidelines by
June 2015. Theoretically, States would have 1 year to develop and submit to EPA
a plan to implement the guidelines, though expectations are that this process will
take longer.
We believe EPA should provide States with maximum flexibility when creating
compliance plans and should give credit for a wide range of actions taken to date
that have resulted in GHG emission reductions. It is also important that any rulemaking minimize the impact on existing electric generating units that are already
making significant investments to comply with the Mercury and Air Toxics (MATs)
rule.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, EEI truly values the partnership that we share with
your subcommittee, and we look forward to continuing our dialogue with you
throughout the year.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY

OF

AMERICA

The Entomological Society of America (ESA) respectfully submits this statement

for the official record in support of funding for entomology-related activities at the
U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ESA requests a robust fiscal year 2015 appropriation for the
Forest Service and requests that the Forest and Rangeland Research budget is
maintained at a level at least equal to the fiscal year 2014 enacted amount of $292.8
million to preserve valuable invasive species research and development. The Society
also supports continued investment in Forest Health Management programs across
the Forest Service in fiscal year 2015. In addition, ESA recommends strong funding
for EPA, including Pesticides Licensing Program Area activities within its Science
& Technology and Environmental Program & Management budgets, as well as continued support for State & Tribal Assistance Grants for Pesticide Program Implementation. Finally, ESA supports a proposal in the Presidents fiscal year 2015
budget request to establish a $45 million multi-agency initiative addressing pollinator health, including involvement by EPA to examine the potential impact of pesticides and ensure that pesticides represent acceptable risks to pollinator health.
Advances in forestry and environmental sciences, including the field of entomology, help to protect our ecosystems and communities from threats impacting our
Nations economy, public health, and agricultural productivity and safety. Through
improved understanding of invasive insect pests and the development of biological
approaches to pest management, entomology plays a critical role in reducing and
preventing the spread of infestation and diseases harmful to national forests and
grasslands. The study of entomology also contributes to the development of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, which use science-based, environmentally friendly, comprehensive methods to take preventative action against pests,
often resulting in lower costs and a more targeted use of pesticides. In addition, entomology improves our knowledge of pollinator biology and the factors affecting pollinator health and populations, helping to ensure safe, reliable crop production that
meets the needs of a growing world population.
The U.S. Forest Service sustains the health, diversity, and productivity of 193
million acres of public lands in national forests and grasslands across 44 States and
territories. Serving as the largest supporter of forestry research in the world, the
agency employs approximately 35,000 scientists, administrators, and land managers. In addition to activities at the Federal level, the Forest Service provides technical expertise and financial assistance to State and private forestry agency partners.
The Forest Services Forest and Rangeland Research budget supports the development and delivery of scientific data and innovative technological tools to improve
the health, use, and management of the Nations forests and rangelands. Within
Forest and Rangeland Research, the Invasive Species Strategic Program Area provides scientifically based approaches to reduce and prevent the introduction, spread,

89
and impact of non-native invasive species, including destructive insects, plants, and
diseases that can have serious economic and environmental consequences for our
Nation. For example, Forest Service scientists are working to prevent the devastation of ash trees across North America by the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle
that was accidentally introduced from Asia. Emerald ash borer was first detected
in 2002 and, since then, has killed countless millions of ash trees. This biological
invasion threatens to eliminate all ash trees from North America, and is the most
costly invasion from a forest insect to date. To attempt to address the problem, researchers have developed a multi-tiered program that includes removal of infested
trees, new insecticides, and introduction of several species of parasitic wasps into
ash borer-infested U.S. forests. The scientists found that the wasps, known to parasitize and kill emerald ash borer eggs and larvae, have helped to slow the spread
of the ash borer invasion in recent years.1 Emerald ash borer is just one of the exponentially growing list of invasive insects and diseases that cause harm to our Nations forests and to our Nations economy. Forest health is also affected by invasive
weeds, and those weeds are often best controlled by beneficial insects used as biological control agents, resulting in permanent and often spectacular control. ESA
strongly opposes the proposed cuts to Forest and Rangeland Research included in
the Presidents fiscal year 2015 budget request, especially the 8.0 percent reduction
directed at invasive species research and development.
Also under the purview of the Forest Service is the Forest Health Management
program, which conducts mapping and surveys on public and private lands to monitor and assess risks from potentially harmful insects, diseases, and invasive plants.
The program also provides assistance to State and local partners to help prevent
and control outbreaks that endanger forest health. According to a 2011 study,
invasive forest insects cost local governments alone an average of over $2 billion per
year; direct costs to homeowners from property loss, tree removal, and treatment
exceed an additional $2.5 billion per year.2 The programs Slow the Spread activities, for example, have led to a 60 percent reduction in the rate of the spread of
an invasive species known as gypsy moth, resulting in an estimated benefit-to-cost
ratio of 3:1. Without the program, it is estimated that 50 million additional acres
would have been infested by the moth.3 To support these important functions, ESA
requests that the subcommittee maintain strong funding for the Forest Health Management Program in fiscal year 2015.
EPA carries out its mission of protecting human health and the environment by
developing and enforcing regulations, awarding grants for research and other
projects, conducting studies on environmental issues, facilitating partnerships, and
providing information through public outreach. Through these efforts, EPA strives
to ensure that our Nation enjoys clean water, clean air, a safe food supply, and communities free from pollution and harmful chemicals.
EPAs Pesticides Licensing Program Area, supported by EPAs Science & Technology and Environmental Program & Management budgets, serves to evaluate and
regulate new pesticides to ensure safe and proper usage by consumers. Through the
mandate of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), EPA
utilizes scientific expertise and data, including knowledge gained from entomological
sciences, to set maximum tolerated residue levels and to register pesticide products
as effective and safe. By controlling insects that act as vectors of diseases of humans
and domesticated animals, and invasive insect species that endanger our environment, pesticides registered by EPA help protect public health and the Nations food
supply. EPAs activities in this area also include the development of educational information and outreach to encourage the use of IPM and other reduced-risk methods
of controlling pests. For example, EPA recently awarded three grants to universities
to help facilitate the use of IPM practices in schools in multiple States, helping to
promote cost-effective strategies that reduce student exposure to pesticides and
pests. Due to previous work in this area, 18 Indiana schools have reduced pest control costs by 90 percent by employing new IPM techniques.4 The Presidents fiscal
year 2015 budget request includes plans to reduce funding for IPM efforts in schools
in favor of other priority activities. However, IPM strategies used in schools reduce
1 Forest Service fiscal year 2015 Budget Justification: http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/budget/
2015/FS15-FS-Budget-Justification.pdf.
2 Aukema, J.E.; Leung, B.; Kovacs, K.; [et al.]. 2011. Economic impacts of non-native forest
insects in the continental United States. PLoS ONE 6(9): e24587.
3 Forest Service fiscal year 2015 Budget Overview: http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/budget/2015/
FY15-FS-Budget-Overview.pdf.
4 March
12,
2014
EPA
press
release:
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/
596e17d7cac720848525781f0043629e/ebef2aed5d69e01585257c99006af60d!OpenDocument.

90
student exposure to pesticides as well as allergens from pests themselves. Therefore,
ESA supports continuing the modest funding that EPA has invested in school IPM.
Among EPAs State & Tribal Assistance Grants, categorical grants in the area of
Pesticides Program Implementation help to facilitate the translation of national pesticide regulatory information into real-world approaches that work for local communities. For example, these grants fund efforts to reduce health and environmental
risks associated with pesticide use by promoting, facilitating, and evaluating IPM
techniques and other potentially safer alternatives to conventional pest control
methods. ESA requests that the subcommittee maintain support for Pesticides Program Implementation grants.
ESA is in favor of increased funding for scientifically based studies of pollinator
populations and health. Pollinators play a vital role in our Nations agriculture industry; for example, bees pollinate more than 90 crops in the United States and are
essential for the production of an estimated 70 percent of all the food we eat or export. To ensure a healthy bee population, more research is needed to fully understand the complexities of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) and to examine the diverse factors that endanger bee health. Pesticides represent just one potential risk
to bees, but both the risks and benefits must be balanced, and those risks and benefits will vary among different crops and different crop-producing regions of the
United States. EPA is well-positioned to help identify methods for protecting bee
health; the agency recently awarded agricultural grants to three universities to aid
in the development of IPM practices that lower pesticide risks to bees while protecting valuable crops from pests. For this reason, ESA supports EPAs participation
in a proposed multi-agency initiative to investigate pollinator health and develop
implementation plans to prevent pollinator population decline.
ESA, headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland, is the largest organization in the
world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and individuals
in related disciplines. Founded in 1889, ESA has nearly 7,000 members affiliated
with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government.
Members are researchers, teachers, extension service personnel, administrators,
marketing representatives, research technicians, consultants, students, pest management professionals, and hobbyists.
Thank you for the opportunity to offer the Entomological Society of Americas support for Forest Service and EPA programs. For more information about the Entomological Society of America, please see http://www.entsoc.org/.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

FEDERAL FOREST RESOURCE COALITION

The following testimony is submitted on behalf of the Federal Forest Resource

which represents purchasers of Federal timber in 32 States, with over 650 member
companies and affiliated associations, collectively representing over 390,000 employees.
We make the following specific programmatic recommendations for fiscal year
2015:
Enact the budget cap exception recommended in the Presidents request and in
H.R. 3992, the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act; Focus increased investments (15 percent increases) on National Forest Timber Management, Wildland Hazardous Fuels
Reduction, and Capital Improvement & Maintenance; Continue CFLR projects to
demonstrate collaborative forest management. We strongly applaud the administrations budget for proposing to increase timber outputs by almost 16 percent, and we
endorse the bi-partisan approach to wildfire funding in the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act.
Our Mills Rely on Predictable, and Growing Supplies of Timber.The forest products industry is extremely capital intensive. Our member companies have significant
investments in logging and mill infrastructure, which can help offset the costs of
managing the National Forests and return money to the Treasury. After weathering
the worst recession our industry has seen in almost a century, forest products companies are seeing the benefits of a rebounding economy and international markets,
providing us an opportunity to modernize and remain competitive. Several issues at
the Forest Service inhibit our ability to grow and compete. Unpredictable timber
supplies caused by erratic appropriations, fire borrowing, and obstructionist tactics
by a minority of radical groups make it difficult to commit to the investments needed to keep our companies viable.
Eliminating Fire Borrowing, Provide Stable Appropriations.Last year was the
second in a row in which the Forest Service redirected significant funds (over $600
million) from other programs to pay for wildfire suppression activities. Programs
which directly support improved forest health are among those penalized the most

91
by this process. The pattern of borrowing disrupts forest management and delays
timber sale projects unnecessarily, while doing nothing to help ensure honest budgeting or reduced costs. Suppression borrowing concerns cause the Forest Service to
freeze accounts early in the summer, stopping vital timber sale projects and Stewardship contract negotiations. The Wildfire Disaster Funding Act holds tremendous
promise and we urge the Committee to move forward with it this year.
We also stress that the Forest Service has had to manage through a long series
of continuing resolutions, some lasting as little as a few days. This culminated with
the disruptive Government shutdown, which halted 1,200 active timber sales. Contractors were given very little time to close up operations and remove machinery
from the woods. The working men and women on our logging crews and in our mills
should not be the unintended collateral damage in high stakes political fights. Disruptions in the timber sale program make it harder to manage the National Forests,
harder to reduce fuel loads, and harder for our member companies to justify making
the capital investments needed to remain competitive. We urge Congress to use the
appropriations process to minimize these disruptions to the greatest extent possible.
The Need for Management.As you know, the National Forest System is experiencing significant forest health challenges. The Chief has testified that the National
Forests have between 65 and 82 million acres in need of active management, with
45 million acres decimated by bark beetles in the Rocky Mountains alone. Further,
the Forest Service has a $5.6 billion capital facilities maintenance backlog. This
backlog does not just affect the roads my members depend on to access timber, but
the trails, campgrounds, and visitor centers millions of Americans use. Faced with
deteriorating forest health and crumbling facilities, we urge Congress to prioritize
management and maintenance over expansion of an overtaxed National Forest System.
The Need to Increase the Pace and Scale of Forest Management.In early 2012,
the administration publicly committed to increasing the pace and scale of managing
the National Forest System, arguing that by expanding forest restoration programs,
forest health would improve, fire danger would decrease, and timber outputs would
climb to over 3 billion board feet. We applaud their 2015 budget request for attempting to translate that commitment into action. However, we urge the subcommittee to take a more direct route than that proposed by the administration.
The administration has once again proposed a consolidated line item, Integrated
Resource Restoration, funded at $820 million for fiscal year 2015. As you know,
this program has been implemented as a pilot program in Regions 1, 3, and 4 since
2010. We have not seen any indication that the pilot regions are experiencing a reduction in unit costs, whether the metric is acres treated or units of wood produced.
Region 1, in particular, remains extraordinarily dysfunctional, with timber output
plummeting by more than 58 percent in Montana since the pilot program began.
There is no indication that an integrated or collaborative approach has reduced the
appetite for obstruction among extremist groups who oppose all management.
Further, each of these Regions relies heavily on personal use fire wood to meet
their timber harvest goals and to artificially reduce their unit costs. The three pilot
Regions timber programs included 31 percent, 21 percent, and 43 percent firewood,
respectively. When firewood is factored out, Region 1 and Region 4 had unit costs
of over $224 and $137 per thousand board feet each, making them the least efficient
Regions in the lower 48. IRR has made use of funds more difficult to track and
budget comparisons item to item or year to year almost impossible.
Fiscal Year 2015 would be the 5th full fiscal year of IRR at the pilot level. Ultimately, we arent getting restoration or treatments achieved through this program.
We urge you to end the pilot program and we oppose expansion to the rest of the
country.
The administration has also recommended expanding the Collaborative Forest
Landscape Restoration Program (CFLR) by 50 percent, increasing the funding from
the currently authorized level of $40 million per year to $60 million per year. We
have similar concerns about CFLR as we do the IRR program. The Federal Forest
Resource Coalition (FFRC) members are actively engaged in CFLR projects across
the country. In many cases, our members are among the leaders in these collaborative efforts. However, as of today, we have yet to see significant results from these
projects, and drastically increasing the allocation of funds to CFLR is not justified
at this time.
We recently surveyed our members on the successes and failures of the CFLR
projects they are involved in. Just 60 percent said that the program had led to increased timber outputs and increased acres thinned. Only 53 percent said the program had reduced controversy around managing the National Forests. In many
cases, our members reported that CFLR projects had completed no new National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents, and in fact were reporting accom-

92
plishments from projects whose NEPA was completed prior to the designation of the
CFLR projects.
We are extremely concerned about the lack of concrete matching funds for already
selected CFLR projects. We support continued funding for CFLR at the authorized
level. Congress should take steps to ensure that CFLR funds are truly supplemental
to, not displacing, regular funds for the National Forest System (NFS) units with
projects. Stricter matching requirements to ensure concrete financial matches
should also be implemented. We urge the Committee to direct the Forest Service
to expand management across the country, and not simply focus on CFLR project
areas. There are many opportunities, and many authorities, for expanded management.
The Need to Increase Efficiency in NFS Management.As an industry, we have
learned how to economize, reduce costs, and do more with less. We recognize that
the Nations fiscal situation demands austerity, and we dialogue constantly with
Federal land managers to find ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency. Congress has been at the forefront of these efforts. In recent years, the Congress has:
Replaced cumbersome administrative appeals with a streamlined objection process;
exempted projects that use a Categorical Exclusion from administrative appeal or
objection; expanded the use of designation by description to all timber sales; and expanded forest health authorities beyond the Wildland-Urban Interface.
We strongly urge you to continue these efforts by directing the Forest Service to;
meet their forest products output targets using only commercial products such as
sawlogs, pulpwood, and commercial biomass, not personal use firewood; focus higher
yielding forest management projects on lands designated as suitable for timber production; and meet a goal of 3.5 billion board feet in fiscal year 2015.
The current annual harvest from the National Forests represents less than 10
percent of annual forest growth, and less than half the allowable sale quantity in
existing forest plans. In many Regions, the Forest Service is falling short of its own
management goals; including response to the bark beetle outbreak in the Rockies
and in managing aspen habitat in the Lake States. Stepping up management,
through collaboratives where they exist and normal timber programs elsewhere, will
address pressing forest health concerns while bolstering employment in economically distressed rural communities. Investing in the Forest Service timber program
is a very effective job creator, generating 16.5 new direct and indirect jobs per million board feet harvested.
We appreciate the efforts of the subcommittee to remove the arbitrary requirements for hazardous fuels reduction work in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).
A greater percentage of lands in need of fuels reduction are outside of the WUI, and
mechanical thinning allows the Forest Service to take advantage of the wood products infrastructure to reduce treatment costs. Extensive Forest Service research
shows that mechanical thinning which includes removing useable wood fiber, followed by prescribed fire, significantly reduce threats from wildfire and forest pests.
BLM Forest Management.The Presidents fiscal year 2015 budget includes a 9.1
percent reduction in funding for the Bureau of Land Management Oregon and California (BLM O&C) Land Management Program. FFRC strongly supports reforming
these critically important and productive timberlands. We urge the Committee to reject the proposed reduction and fund the O&C program at least at the 2014 enacted
level. Aggressive action is needed to offer regeneration harvests from these lands
that meet the needs of local mills and communities. We strongly support the Presidential Decree (PD) Forest Management Program at no less than the Presidents
recommended level of $9.9 million.
Alaska.The timber industry in Alaska faces several challenges stemming from
years of controversy over the management of the Tongass National Forest. FFRC
members depend upon supplies of timber from this forest, and have been hard
pressed as the Forest Service has placed complete restrictions on harvest in roadless
areas. Current efforts to transition to second growth timber will not meet the local
industries needs for decades. Steps must be taken to offer a timber sale program
that complies with the National Forest Management Act and can sustain the local
value added industry in order to save the capacity to manage the very small percent
of the Tongass that is open to any harvest (almost 90 percent of the Tongass is
roadless). Local mills and loggers, along with Governor Sean Parnell, have concluded that some portion of the Tongass should be converted into State ownership
in order to meet the needs of the local economy. FFRC strongly supports this effort.
FFRC also strongly urges the subcommittee to make permanent the Red Cedar language which it has included in previous Interior bills for more than a decade. This
language is absolutely necessary to insure that USFS sales are not offered as deficit
sales.

93
Conclusion.Wood product demand remains strong, providing an opportunity to
expand management on the National Forests. More forest management work needs
to be done on the National Forests. Only Congress can decide whether we will help
meet that domestic and international demand using timber from our National Forests, which must be milled domestically before it can be exported. Only Congress
can create American jobs by using this market upswing to pay for badly needed forest management work. To paraphrase our favorite bear, only you can decide to act
now, or you can allow the negative trends in forest health and rural economic distress to continue.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

FEDERATION

OF

STATE HUMANITIES COUNCILS

The Federation of State Humanities Councils respectfully requests that the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior allocate $154.5 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and $46 million for the Federal/State
Partnership for fiscal year 2015.
We would like to thank the members of this subcommittee for your past support.
The funding included in the fiscal year 2014 omnibus bill for State Humanities
Councils was extremely helpful to these organizations, particularly following the severe cuts of the previous year. Councils are careful stewards of these funds, which
they administer strategically to achieve the maximum benefit for the communities
in their States. As full partners of the NEH, councils receive their core funding
through the Federal/State Partnership line of the NEH budget, which they use to
leverage additional support from foundations, corporations, private individuals, and
State governments. In 2013, every Federal dollar the councils awarded through
grants to local institutions leveraged, on average, $5.00 in local contributions. Councils further extended their resources by forming partnerships with more than 9,000
organizations throughout their States.
These numbers tell part of the storybut not the most important part. Council
programs improve not just individual lives but also the civic and cultural lives of
the communities in your States. The benefits of the Federal funds invested in the
State Humanities Councils are realized through programs that (1) preserve local
history and culture, (2) support veterans, (3) serve rural communities, (4) reach diverse audiences, (5) boost local economies, (6) enhance national security, and (7) promote lifelong learning.
Council programs preserve local history and culture.Programs that help communities understand and appreciate their history have been a staple of council work
from the beginning, illuminating the events and conditions that have shaped these
unique places. Consider, for example, the Idaho Humanities Councils Wilderness
Considered reading and discussion series, developed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Wilderness Act. This program is designed not only to look at
the idea of wilderness in the American imagination but also to explore the particular relationship that Idahoans ranging from ranchers to snowmobilers to hunters and hikers have to wild places and the impact this relationship has had on the
States character. Humanities Washington, in partnership with the State Historical
Society, is travelling an exhibit entitled Hope in Hard Times to eight communities.
The exhibit and related activities will allow participants to reflect on the ways
Washingtonians during the Great Depression coped with their struggles and sustained hope for a better future. It will also invite them to share family and community stories as a means of looking at the impact of that history on their own lives,
reminding themselves to look for their own opportunities to create change.
Though councils have been supporting such programs throughout their history,
they have continually explored fresh approaches, involving scholars in new ways,
engaging audiences more interactively, and employing the many electronic tools at
hand. The online State encyclopedias developed by councils have given residents,
visitors, and educators unprecedented and constantly evolving access to the history
of the State. The Virginia encyclopedia, to cite an outstanding example, allows visitors to scroll through an alphabetical index of State figures and events, browse an
interactive map, or bore more deeply into topics covered by the blog. The encyclopedia also provides resources for teachers and researchers.
In addition, council programs bring to light stories long hidden but crucial to the
States or a communitys understanding of its culture and identity. The Minnesota
Humanities Center, in partnership with the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council and
the National Museum of the American Indian, developed an exhibit, Why Treaties
Matter: Self-Government in the Dakota and Ojibwe Nations, that has given more
than 50,000 Minnesotans in 39 communities a deeper understanding of the circumstances surrounding Minnesota land, its use, and the treatment of the lands in-

94
digenous people, historically and today. The exhibit has also been used in schools,
prompting Kevin Gover, Director of the National Museum of the American Indian
to observe, Together, we can work to educate a new generation of Minnesotans who
understand basic important facts about Minnesotas tribal nations.
Finally, the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities is collaborating with Brown
University on Rhode Tour, a new statewide digital history project. Rhode Tour features a smartphone app with GPS that uses oral histories, pictures, and sound to
tell Rhode Islands story. The Rhode Island Council is partnering with organizations
throughout the State to provide the content for this digital history tour, including
stories on environmental, economic, and social issues.
Councils serve veterans.A number of agencies and groups provide services and
programs for veterans, but the humanities have a special role to play. Humanities
scholars and facilitators have proven skill at drawing out stories and exploring their
meaning. Council programs look at larger and deeper questions of what it means
to individuals to be in violent circumstances and what it means to a society to place
their men and women in such conditions. Over the past few years, councils have
developed a rich array of programs for and about veterans. These include, among
others, the Missouri Humanities Councils Proud to Be volumes of veterans
writings, the council-sponsored Literature and Medicine reading and discussion programs for veterans caregivers throughout the country, and the Veterans Voices programs sponsored by the Minnesota Humanities Center and Humanities Texas that
explore the veteran experience through plays and discussion groups.
Cal Humanities recently announced a statewide multi-year program, War Comes
Home, that will launch hundreds of events involving dozens of partners throughout
the State. Through speakers, reading and discussion groups, public forums, oral histories, and teacher resources, the program will help veterans and their families and
communities explore how Californians are welcoming their returning veterans. All
these council-sponsored programs have the potential not only to allow veterans to
tell their stories and to begin to re-integrate into their communities, but also to compel the public to listen, to wrestle with the consequences of sending people to war
and bringing them home, and to claim their own role and responsibility in this process.
Councils serve rural communities.A recent Federation survey revealed that
council programs reached more than 6,000 communities last year, many in rural,
even remote areas, where they are often the only programs of this sort that small
towns have access to. Whether they involve individual speakers who stimulate a discussion well into the evening, a reading and discussion program at the local library,
or a facilitated community conversation about an issue of concern, these programs
strengthen and revitalize communities. They unite and enlighten residents. They
encourage habits of dialogue.
The highly successful Museum on Main Street program, the product of a partnership between State councils and the Smithsonian and designed specifically for rural
communities, shows the lasting benefits of a relatively modest investment. Last year
Frederick, Oklahoma, with a population just under 4,000, hosted the exhibit New
Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music, which explored music, history, and
cultural movements such as desegregation and gender equality. The Centers exhibit
and program attendance grew by 50 percent and donations increased by 150 percent. The Alaska Humanities Forums Take Wing Alaska program helps rural Native Alaska students adjust to urban college settings, with the ultimate aim of their
gaining knowledge to strengthen their communities once they return. The Forum
sponsors Urban and Campus Immersions in Anchorage that focus not only on academic skills, but also on cultural strengths the students can use to transition from
a rural to an urban environment.
Council programs reach citizens of all ages, incomes, and levels of education.Increasingly, council programs engage young adults as well as seniors, a variety of
ethnic communities, immigrants, low-income families, prison populations, and Native Americans. These groups are not just passive recipients of council programs but
partners and active participants.
As our future leaders, teens and young adults are especially important participants in humanities programs. Several councils support or coordinate their States
National History Day, which offers students intellectual, practical, and even emotional benefits. The Pennsylvania council offers vibrant interactive programming for
students with the library-based Teen Reading Lounge. These programs supplement
formal education for young people and help instill habits of communication and critical thinking that will serve them well into adulthood.
Councils also conduct programs that help immigrants and refugees adjust to their
new homes and enable long-time residents to learn about the cultures of these new
citizens. The New York Council for the Humanities, in collaboration with the Citi-

95
zens Committee for New York City and several other groups, provided grants to
faith-based or neighborhood-based immigrant and cultural groups to encourage
unity through active engagement between new immigrant groups and their longerterm neighbors as well as residents of different faiths. Projects funded in 2013
through this first-of-its-kind program included an interfaith celebration of Eid
hosted by Afghans United, a cross-cultural mural project with students from different ethnic and racial backgrounds, and a film series sponsored by the National
Council of Negro Women that encouraged members of diverse communities to view
and discuss films about a variety of immigrant experiences.
Council programs boost local economies.Council programs help improve and revitalize such institutions as libraries, museums, and schools, which gives communities a vibrancy that draws both new residents and potential investors. Many councils conduct books festivals that bring dollars to local economies. Many use the Museum on Main Street exhibits to draw tourists. Still others are steadily building cultural tourism programs that leverage local dollars. In Ohio, where tourism is the
fourth largest economic drive in the State, Ohio Humanities offers grants and technical assistance to communities seeking to engage in heritage tourism, offering authentic place-based experiences for travelers. The council has also produced driving
tours drawing from The Ohio Guide, the 1940 publication of the Federal Writers
Project. Communities along the 11 selected routes report that the tours have increased visitation.
The many book festivals that councils conduct in States including Tennessee,
Montana, Colorado, Virginia, South Carolina, and South Dakota serve as another
economic boost for host communities, drawing readers and tourists from all regions
of the State and beyond. A recent economic impact study by the Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated the Virginia Festival of the
Books total impact at $3.9M. Over 600 hotel rooms are booked each year for the
South Carolina Book Festival, which generates more than $100,000 in book sales.
The Utah Humanities Councils statewide Book Festival has for 16 years brought
Utah readers and writers together with authors from around the world to talk about
books and ideas. Throughout the month of October (National Book Month) historians, journalists, biographers, politicians, and members of the public mingle with
poets, novelists, and childrens writers in communities in every corner of the State,
both enriching the intellectual and cultural lives and contributing to the economies
of those communities.
The humanities and the humanities councils increase national security.Clearly
councils do not directly affect national security policy-making, but council programs
contribute to the citizen understanding of global issues that is the necessary prerequisite to citizen involvement with the decisionmaking process and the elected officials who do make these decisions. The Maine Humanities Council offers evidence
of the validity of this assumption with The World in Your Library: A Foreign Policy
Speakers Series, a speaker series through which local libraries host three one-hour
presentations, with discussion, on foreign policy issues of their choice, providing a
rare opportunity for residents to explore these issues with experts in foreign policy.
Finally, council programs promote lifelong learning.This learning extends to citizens who participate in the many community conversations conducted by councils,
to teachers who benefit from the council-sponsored institutes and seminars that enrich and re-energize them, to the parents and children who improve their reading
skills and engage with ideas through councils family literacy programs.
The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities recently offered a program, Segregation, Desegregation and Civil Rights in Virginia, that provided learning opportunities for several audiences. First, it offered a day-long seminar that used events surrounding the 1959 school closings in Arlington and Prince Edward county to help
teachers consider new ways to understand and teach this multi-layered history; the
ways our collective understanding of citizenship and community was challenged during the desegregation era; and why this history still mattersand the issues remain
currentin the present day. The workshop was followed by a community conversation inviting residents to recall their own experience of those years and discuss why
these issues still matter.
We have offered only a small sampling of the programs that enrich and enliven
communities throughout the Nation. We hope these examples have demonstrated
the significant difference that this modest investment in Federal funds makes. And
we hope you will look with favor on our request for $46 million for the councils and
$154.5 million for NEH.

96
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

FIRE SUPPRESSION FUNDING SOLUTIONS PARTNER

CAUCUS

The undersigned organizations, members of the Fire Suppression Funding Solutions Partner Caucus, urge the subcommittee to address the vexing issue of wildfire
suppression funding in fiscal year 2015 appropriations. We respectfully request that
the subcommittee correct this wildfire suppression funding issue by including language from the bipartisan Wildfire Disaster Funding Act (WDFAH.R. 3992; S.
1875) in the fiscal year 2015 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. This language provides the structure to fund a portion of the USDA
Forest Service (USFS) and Department of the Interior (DOI) wildfire suppression
costs through a budget cap adjustment under the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended. This would provide the USFS and DOI
with a funding structure similar to that used by other agencies who respond to natural disaster emergencies.
The Partner Caucus is a diverse coalition of organizations brought together in
January of 2009 to find a solution to the impacts of increasing suppression costs
on land management agencies. Our coalition includes national and local organizations, State forestry, environmentalists, outdoor and recreation industry, sportsmen,
timber industry, local governments and many other groups interested in Federal
lands.
Our organizations are concerned current spending levels for the suppression and
FLAME accounts will not be sufficient for fiscal year 2015 and certainly not sustainable over the long term. The current wildfire suppression funding model and cycle
of transfers and repayments has negatively impacted the ability to implement forest
management activities. The agencies and first responders need a predictable, stable,
and efficient budget structure to deliver their congressionally directed land management missions.
Numerous fire seasons over the past decade have required fire funding transfers
from non-suppression accounts, clearly demonstrating the urgent need to change the
suppression funding model at the USFS and DOI. The last few fiscal years have increasingly reflected the need for a new funding approach:
Fiscal Year 2012 and Fiscal Year 2013
Carry-over levels in the FLAME accounts were rescinded in fiscal year 2012,
suppression was funded below the forecast, and the fire season was very costly,
particularly at the end of the fiscal year. Suppression was also funded below
the ten-year average in fiscal year 2013 and the fire season was once again very
costly. Over $1 billion were transferred from USFS and DOI programs at the
end of fiscal year 2012 and fiscal year 2013 combined.
In the past, repayments of transfers occurred through emergency supplemental appropriations, which would occur well after the USFS and DOI Bureaus had been severely impacted by the transfers. However, fiscal year 2012
and fiscal year 2013 suppression transfers were repaid from the entire Interior bill for the following fiscal year. The result is that all Interior Agencies and
their programs are now impacted by suppression funding. Additionally, the
transfers have had long lasting effects on the USFS and DOIs implementation
of impacted programs that continue to this day.
Fiscal Year 2014
Suppression is funded at the full ten-year average. However, with the increasing drought conditions across the Nation, the fiscal year 2014 fire season is expected to be particularly active and costly. There is every indication that the
USFS and DOI will run out of suppression funds and be forced to transfer before the end of the season.
This pattern of funding is neither efficient nor sustainable. The Wildfire Disaster
Funding bill would provide the USFS and DOI with a funding structure similar to
that used by other agencies that respond to natural disaster emergencies, which
have budget cap exemptions for a portion of disaster funding. This important change
would free the agencies to reinvest in core activities which have been reduced in
recent years due to a continued shift of limited resources to fund wildfire suppression, including the very programs that would help to decrease wildfire costs over
time. Further, this change would end the highly disruptive process of canceling and/
or significantly delaying ongoing project work, most often at the time such work is
being executed on the ground.
We appreciate this subcommittees attention to this increasing and unsustainable
natural resource challenge. The fiscal year 2015 appropriations bill can provide for
both necessary wildfire suppression and also fire risk reduction activities that create

97
jobs and reduce firefighting costs in the long run. We are prepared to help and look
forward to assisting Congress in developing a sustainable and long-term solution to
fund emergency wildfire suppression.
The following are 226 groups supporting the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act:
3 Legs Collaboration Services
4FRI: Four Forest Restoration Initiative
Collaborative Stakeholder Group
ACA CanoeKayakSUPRaft
Rescue
Alamo Navajo School Board, Inc.
Allegheny Hardwood Utilization Group
Alliance for Community Trees
American Bird Conservancy
American Farm Bureau Federation
American Forest & Paper Association
American Forest Foundation
American Forest Resource Council
American Forests
American Hiking Society
American Loggers Council
American YouthWorks
Appalachian Mountain Club
Applegate Partnership and Watershed
Council
Arid Land Innovation
Arizona Conservation Corps
Arizona Fire Chiefs Association
Arizona Prescribed Fire Council
Arizona Wildlife Federation
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies
Association of National Grasslands
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers
Black Hills Forest Resource Association
Black Hills Regional Multiple Use
Coalition
Black Hills Resource, Conservation, and
Development
Blue Goose Alliance
Blue Mountains Forest Partners
Boulder County, CO
BRL Services Inc./BRL Logging
Bull Moose Sportsmens Alliance
California Deer Association
California Fire Safe Council
California Forestry Association
California Ski Industry Association
California Waterfowl
Center for Heirs Property Preservation
Center for Sustainable Communities
Central Oregon Intergovernmental
Council
Choose Outdoors
City of Ashland, OR
Civil War Trust
Clearwater Resource Council
Colorado Timber Industry Association
Congressional Sportsmens Foundation
Conservation Legacy
Conservation Northwest
ConservationCorps, MN & IA
Criley Consulting
Defenders of Wildlife
Ducks Unlimited
Eastern Arizona Counties Organization
Ecosystem Workforce Program
El Tesoro Retreat Center

Elliotsville Plantation, Inc

Endangered Species Coalition
Environment America
Environmental Stewards
Estrada Collaborative Resource
Management, LLC
Federal Forest Resource Coalition
Flagstaff Fire Department
Flathead Economic Policy Center
Foothill Conservancy
Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina
Forest Business Network
Forest County Economic Development
Partnership
Forest Energy Corporation
Forest Guild
Forest Health Task Force
Fourth Sector Strategies
Framing Our Community, Inc.
Friends of the Columbia Gorge
Friends of the Urban Forest
Front Range Roundtable
Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics,
and Ecology (FUSEE)
Future Forest, LLC
Gila Tree Thinners
Gila WoodNet
Global Parks
Grassroots Outdoor Alliance
Great Lakes Timber Professionals
Association
Great Old Broads for Wilderness
Greater Yellowstone Coalition
Hawks Aloft, Inc.
International Association of Fire
Fighters
Idaho Conservation League
Idaho Forest Owners Association
Indiana Forestry & Woodland Owners
Association
Intermountain Forest Association
Intermountain Roundwood Association
International Association of Fire Chiefs
International Association of Wildland
Fire
International Mountain Bicycling
Association
Intertribal Timber Council
Jara Landworks
KHII Radio
Lake County Resources Initiative
Lemhi County
Little Colorado River Plateau RC&D
Lomakatsi Restoration Project
Louisiana Forestry Association
Maine Audubon
Mainland Planning, Inc
Mass Audubon
Massachusetts Association of
Conservation Commissions
Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition
Massachusetts Resident

98
Masters of Foxhounds Association
McCutchanville Volunteer Fire
Department
Mid Klamath Watershed Council
Montana Conservation Corps
Montana Wilderness Association
Montana Wood Products Association
Mottek Consulting
Mountain States Lumber and Building
Material Dealers Association
Mt. Adams Resource Stewards
Mt. Taylor Machine, LLC
Mule Deer Foundation
National Association of Conservation
Districts
National Association of Forest Owners
National Association of Forest Service
Retirees
National Association of State Foresters
National Association of University Forest
Resources Programs
National Cattlemens Beef Association
National Network of Forest Practitioners
National Parks Conservation Association
National Rifle Association
National Trust for Historic Preservation
National Volunteer Fire Council
National Wild Turkey Federation
National Wildfire Institute
National Wildlife Federation
National Wildlife Refuge Association
National Woodland Owners
Nevada Conservation Corps
New Mexico Forest Industry Association
New Mexico Prescribed Fire Council
New Mexico State Land Office
Northbrook Public Works
Northern Arizona Wood Products
Association
Northern Forest Center
Northwest Connections
Northwest Forest Worker Center
Northwest Youth Corps
National Ski Areas Association
Outdoor Alliance
Outdoor Industry Association
Partnership for Rural America
Partnership for the National Trails
System
Pheasants Forever/Quails Forever
Pinchot Institute for Conservation
Public Lands Council
Public Lands Foundation
Public Lands Service Coalition
Quality Deer Management Association
Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation
Restoration Technologies
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Rocky Mountain Tree-Ring Research
Ruffed Grouse Society
Rural County Representatives of
California
Safari Club International
Salmon Valley Stewardship
San Juan Forest Health Partnership
Sierra Club

Sierra Forest Legacy

Siuslaw Institute
San Juan Woody-Invasives Initiative
Society of American Foresters
South Carolina Wildlife Federation
South Dakota Campground Owners
Association
South Dakota ATV/UTV Association
Southeast Youth Corps
Southern Environmental Law Center
Southern Oregon Climate Action Now
Southern Oregon Forest Restoration
Collaborative
Southern Oregon Timber Industries
Assn.
Southwest Conservation Corps
Southwest Forests Sustainable
Partnership
Spatial Interest, LLC
Sustainable Northwest
Swan Ecosystem Center
Taos County Economic Development
Corporation
Teller County Home Builders Association
Texas Forestry Association
The Conservation Fund
The Corps Network
The Forest Guild
The National Association of RV Parks
and Campgrounds
The Nature Conservancy
The Trust for Public Land
The Watershed Center
The Wilderness Society
The Wildlife Society
Theodore Roosevelt Conservation
Partnership
Tierra y Montes SWCD
Town of Laona, Forest County,
Wisconsin
Tree Musketeers
Tribal Environmental Policy Center
Trout Unlimited
Twin Willows Ranch
Upstate Forever
Ute Mountaineer
Vail Resorts
Village of Taos Ski Valley
Village Reconstruction and Development
Project
Wallowa Resources
Washington State Fire Fighters
Association
Washington Wildlife and Recreation
Coalition
Watershed Research & Training Center
West Range Reclamation, LLC
Western Environmental Law Center
Wild South
WildEarth Guardians
Wildlife Forever
Winter Wildlands Alliance
Wisconsin Off-Road Vehicle Park, Inc.
Wisconsin Woodland Owners Association
Inc.

99
Wyoming Mining Association
Wyoming Stock Growers Association

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

York Land Trust

Zuni Mountain Forest Collaborative

FRIENDS OF BON SECOUR NATIONAL WILDLIFE

REFUGE

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee: On behalf of the Friends of Bon
Secour National Wildlife Refuge (FBSNWR), thank you for this opportunity to submit comments in support of the National Wildlife Refuge System, which is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. FBSNWR is a nonprofit volunteer organization formed in 1996 and represents citizens from throughout the United States
who cherish and support the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. Moreover, our
members are concerned about its future and the role it plays in preserving vital
habitat types.
The Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) provides vital habitat for
neotropical migratory birds and nesting habitat for endangered sea turtles. In addition, the refuge is a component of a thriving nature-based tourism along coastal Alabama. The coastal economy is dependent upon sound stewardship of natural resources of the Gulf of Mexico, so we believe the development and sustainment of
a strong Bon Secour NWR and National Wildlife Refuge System is critical to creating a resilient economy in southern Alabama and the Gulf Coast.
Our organization is an active partner with the National Wildlife Refuge Association, who has focused on several key areas where support of the National Wildlife
Refuge System is sorely needed. Within this context, we urge your action on the following:
1. Move towards fully funding the National Wildlife Refuge System at $900 million
annually for operations and maintenance, beginning with $476 million in fiscal
year 2015.
The present emphasis on budget austerity is especially troubling for refuges on
the Gulf Coast, for we may lose opportunities to leverage funds generated by criminal and civil penalties associated with the 2010 oil spill into long-term investments
for these refuges. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may be reluctant to expand
or improve facilities with these funds if the agency does not have operational funds
to staff and maintain facilities.
Bon Secour NWR needs a functional visitor and education center. The Act that
established the refuge in 1980 directed that the refuge serve as a living laboratory
for scientists and students. Bon Secour is a natural wonder that contains all aspects of the marine environment, so the refuge could demonstrate the importance
of the marine environment to coastal culture and economy as well as the very survival of the planet.
2. Appropriate $168.8 million in fiscal year 2015 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to acquire conservation easements on working lands and
to purchase in-holdings and vital habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System
and reauthorize LWCF at $900 million annually.
Again, Gulf Coast wildlife refuges may lose opportunities to leverage oil spill
funds into acquisition of in-holdings and sensitive habitats if LWCF funds area not
available. Coastal properties are expensive, so it will be difficult to rely solely on
spill funds to acquire land. However, combining LWCF funds with other sources
would likely enhance our chances to acquire key properties.
3. Appropriate $35 million in fiscal year 2015 for the North American Wetlands
Conservation Act (NAWCA) and reauthorize the Act at $75 million.
The Bon Secour NWR is one of three refuges within the Gulf Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The Grand Bay NWR (located in Jackson County, Mississippi
and Mobile County, Alabama) is also within the complex and has relied heavily on
NAWCA funds to acquire lands within the currently approved acquisition boundary.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed in 2011 to expand the acquisition
boundary by approximately 8,000 acres.
4. Increase appropriations for essential conservation programs including State Wildlife Grants, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, Coastal Grants,
and the Department of the Interiors Fire Management Program.

100
The Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR is also one of the three refuges within the
Gulf Coast NWR Complex and supports one of the elite fire management operations
with the National Wildlife Refuge System. Their program represents over three decades of public investment in the restoration of fire-dependent habitats that include
critical habitat for the endangered Mississippi sandhill crane and vital habitat for
numerous species of neotropical migratory birds. Managing fire-dependent habitats
that are bisected by an interstate highway and surrounded by commercial and residential development has not been easy. Moreover, these areas will burn by managed
fires or wildfires, so it is not a matter of choosing to exclude fire from these areas.
Therefore, supporting the continued investment of using prescribed fire becomes a
public safety and economic impact in southern Mississippi, for wildfires present far
more potential to create hazardous smoke conditions along the busy I10 corridor.
I will conclude with a reminder that the citizens of the Gulf Coast were faced with
a dire threat to their economy and culture when the spill began 4 years ago, for
our lives are directly connected to the natural resources of the Gulf of Mexico. These
National Wildlife Refuges represent are a vital component for the stewardship of
these natural resources and represent decades of public investment. They directly
support the environment and economy through the science-based management of
the lands and waters for the benefit of wildlife, and they connect citizens to these
resources through opportunities to enjoy the fish and wildlife.
The spill no longer dominates the headlines, but the Gulf Coast is still hurting.
While the nature-based tourism has rebounded well since the spill, sustaining the
natural features and resources that attract customers cannot be certain. Assessing
the long-term environmental impacts of the spill will take time. Commercial fishing
continues to struggle, as water quality degradation and other impacts tied to various types of coastal development hamper fishery productivity. Development is resuming despite the recession. The hurricanes, oil spill, and failure to meet the challenges now may leave a gap that will be even more costly to fill in the future. Families who have been tied to the fishing industry for generations question whether not
they are witnessing the end of their livelihood.
We need to support these refuges so that they can be engaged partners in the
coastal recovery. Our culture and economy depend on active and sustainable stewardship of these natural resources, and the Gulf Coast is a major component of the
national economy.
Thank you for your consideration. Please do not hesitate to call upon the Friends
of Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge if we can be of any assistance.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

FRIENDS

OF

MAINES SEABIRD ISLANDS (FOMSI)

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee: On behalf of the 250 members
of the Friends of Maines Seabird Islands from across the country, thank you for
the opportunity to submit written testimony on the fiscal year 2015 Interior Appropriations bill. Thank you for your past support of the National Wildlife Refuge System, the worlds premier system of public lands and waters set aside to conserve
Americas fish, wildlife and plants.
FOMSI is an all-volunteer group whose mission is to support the Maine Coastal
Islands National Wildlife Refuge. The Refuge manages 59 islands on our 250-mile
long coast, and several thousand acres of mainland wildlife habitat. First, let me
emphasize that we are grateful that we have a National Wildlife Refuge on the
coast of Maine. Why? For many reasons, all of which lead back to the positive economic and social benefits that are produced by the conservation of wild lands and
wise use of our natural resources. The 2006 National Survey of Hunting, Fishing
and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, found that, in Maine alone, hunters, anglers,
and wildlife watchers generated nearly $1.5 billion in revenue for Maine. Clearly,
wild lands and healthy fish and wildlife populations are important to this States
economy, and the National Wildlife Refuges in Maine are a significant part of that!
Although we understand and take very seriously the economic challenges that our
Nation faces, it is important to point out the positive economic impact that this Refuge has on local economies. In Maine, according to studies conducted by Dr. Charles
Colgan from the University of Southern Maine, 120 companies provide services involving seabird viewing as a recreational activity. These include small kayak guides
and outfitters all the way to large ships that go on seabird watching cruises several
times each day. An estimated 5,000 to 7,500 trips are made by people annually primarily for seabird viewing and 350,000 to 450,000 trips with seabird viewing as a
secondary activity. The total estimate for seabird-related spending was $5 million
to $10 million in 2001. This does not count the number of birders and others who
have their own boats and do not take the organized trips, yet come to this area spe-

101
cifically to see seabirds; accordingly, they have a significant, but uncalculated impact on the economy, too. Nor does it count the revenues from stores that sell merchandise from t-shirts to binoculars that go along with birding.
Thousands of people come to the Maine coast each year to see the charismatic Atlantic puffin, a bird that nests in the United States only in Maine. Currently, over
90 percent of the Atlantic puffins nesting in Maine nest on Refuge islands, where
they are actively protected by Refuge staff and partners, such as the National Audubon Society and Maine Division of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. If funding for this
management is not maintained, these nesting birds will abandon their colonies and
Maine will return to the pre-Refuge situation in the 1970s and early 1980s when
only gulls nested on many of the islands. Seabird viewing and birder expenditures
will fall, and our already fragile economy will suffer further.
The economic impact described above is only a part of the positive impact that
the Refuge has on the States economy. Others visit the Refuge units to hunt, hike,
fish, and learn about conservation. The Fish and Wildlife Services Banking on Nature report showed that the local economic effects of recreational visits to this refuge totaled $7.9 million in 2011, with associated employment of 71 jobs, $2.2 million
in employment income and $930,700 in total tax revenue.
That is a brief summary of the economic impacts that one refuge has in our part
of the country. There are five other refuges in Maine that are also important to
Maines economy. Multiply that by the 556 National Wildlife Refuges in the System,
and it is clear that Congress investment in the System pays off many-fold to our
Nations economy. Our National Wildlife Refuges are often economic powerhouses,
especially in rural areas. In fact, Banking on Nature, found that for every $1 that
is appropriated for the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS), $5 is returned to
our Nations economy.
Therefore, we respectfully ask you to:
1. Maintain management capabilities for the National Wildlife Refuge System by
approving a $4 million increase over fiscal year 2014 levels. The System actually
needs $900 million annually to adequately manage its 150 million acres; a funding
allocation of $476 million in fiscal year 2012 will simply maintain the status quo.
2. Appropriate $168.8 million in fiscal year 2015 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to acquire conservation easements on working lands and to
purchase in-holdings and vital habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System, and
reauthorize LWCF at $900 million annually. Created in 1965 and authorized at
$900 million per year (more than $3 billion today), the LWCF is Refuges most important land acquisition tool. More than 8 million acres are unprotected within existing refuge boundaries and there is an increasing need to establish key wildlife
corridors and connections between protected areas making the LWCF more important than ever.
There are four significant inholdings for sale at the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge, and more are expected to come on the market soon. Funding
of the LWCF at the authorized level will allow the Refuge to acquire these important inholdings to further protect its integrity.
3. Appropriate $35 million in fiscal year 2015 for the North American Wetlands
Conservation Act (NAWCA) and reauthorize the Act at $75 million. This Act helps
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service leverage Federal conservation efforts through
partnerships that enable the acquisition and restoration of critical wetlands to deliver multiple benefits including habitat restoration and improved water quality.
The Refuge received partial funding from NAWCA this year to help acquire
Mahoney Island in Brooklin, Maine, a critical seabird nesting island. We are grateful for that, and hope to receive more funding from this important Act in the future.
4. Increase appropriations for essential conservation programs including State
Wildlife Grants ($58.7 million), the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund
($4 million), Coastal Grants ($13 million), and the Department of Interiors Fire
Management Program ($60 million).
The State Wildlife Grant program is a very successful Federal-State program that
helps keep our Nations wildlife from becoming endangered.
Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) grants conserve the habitats that neotropical birds use along their migration north and south and in their
wintering range throughout the Caribbean, Central, and South America. This Act
fortifies investments on national wildlife refuges by conserving our birds during
critical periods of their lifecycles spent outside of refuges and often outside the
United States.
The Coastal Program provides technical and financial assistance for voluntary efforts to protect and restore coastal habitats for wildlife. This program is critical to
implementing recovery projects such as restoring and enhancing estuarine habitats,

102
removing invasive species and derelict fishing gear, and stabilizing shoreline. This
program has been a very important partner with the coastal refuges in Maine.
Fire is one of the Services most important tools for managing wildlife habitat;
however, due to the catastrophic western wildfires made worse by climate change
and fuel loading, funds for refuge fire management have been consistently diverted
to fighting wildfires and protecting the forest-urban interface. Resources are needed
to allow refuges to manage dangerous fuel loads in fire-dependent systems and to
use fire management to improve habitat for many threatened and endangered species. The refuges in Maine actively use fire to protect and enhance habitats for
many species such as arctic terns and woodcock.
We are proud of our National Wildlife Refuges, one of our countrys greatest conservation achievements. We are but one of 230 friends groups who support National Wildlife Refuges throughout the country. Friends groups provide assistance
to our National Wildlife Refuges through monetary and equipment donations and
volunteer labor. Last year over 40,000 friends and volunteers provided services for
the NWRS equal to over 600 positions, saving taxpayers millions of dollars. Volunteers throughout the country provide an astonishing 20 percent of the work done
of Refuges each year! This is a further indication of how many Americans support
the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The interest in our National Wildlife Refuge System is significant and we are
showing our support with our donated time and funds. However, we need proper
funding of the System so we can leverage our taxpayer dollars to provide even more
economic and social benefits to our country.
Finally, let me also add that with all the negative stories in the press today about
Government appropriations and politics, the National Wildlife Refuge System remains a positive success story since the first Refuge was created by President Theodore Roosevelt over 100 years ago. It has always enjoyed support from Congress and
we thank you for that, and for your continued support!
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

FRIENDS

OF

RACHEL CARSON NWR

Mr. Chairman and honorable members of the subcommittee: I am Bill Durkin,

President of the Friends of RCNWR in Maine.
I have been a member of the Friends of Rachel Carson NWR for the past 23 years.
The group was founded in 1987; we are a small group of about 200 members. This
time of the year all of the letters go out to Congress asking for support of the refuge.
I have given numerous written statements over the years and we really appreciate
your support in the past. This year, our refuge is not requesting any appropriations
directly for Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge; this is a request for general
funding of the System. I thank you all for your consideration.
1. We are requesting an overall funding level of $476 million in fiscal year 2015
for the operations and maintenance budget of the National Wildlife Refuge System,
managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. All of the refuges are in dire need
of staffing and upkeep. Refuges provide unparalleled opportunities to hunt, fish,
watch wildlife and educate children about the environment; last year there were
over 46 million visitors to all of the Refuges combined. An investment in the Nations Refuge System is an excellent investment in the American economy. Without
increased funding for refuges, wildlife conservation and public recreation opportunities will be jeopardized. We fully supported the U.S. Fish and Wildlifes request of
$476 million for O&M for the NWRS.
2. The Land and Water Conservation Fund is our Nations premier Federal program to acquire and protect lands at national parks, forests, refuges, and public
lands and at State parks, trails, and recreational facilities. These sites across the
country provide the public with substantial social and economic benefits including
promoting healthier lifestyles through recreation, protecting drinking water and watersheds, improving wildfire management, and assisting the adaptation of wildlife
and fisheries to climate change. For all these reasons, LWCF needs to be funded
at the $168.8 million level. Created by Congress in 1964 and authorized at $900 million per year (more than $3 billion in todays dollars), the LWCF is our most important land and easement acquisition tool. The President has included meaningful increases to the program in his fiscal year 2015 budget, and I support the administrations commitment to fully funding the program in the near future. I urge a minimal
commitment of $168.8 million to the National Wildlife Refuge System. This wise investment in the Land and Water Conservation Fund is one that will permanently
pay dividends to the American people and to our great natural and historical heritage. The Land and Water Conservation Fund should be fully funded at $900 million
annuallythe congressionally authorized level. LWCF is good for the economy, it

103
is good for Americas communities and their recreational access; it is critical for our
public lands and wildlife habitat.
3. Appropriate $35 million in fiscal year 2015 for the North American Wetlands
Conservation Act (NAWCA) and reauthorize the Act at $75 million. NAWCA supports habitat restoration, water quality improvements and carbon sequestration.
The Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is named in honor of one of the Nations foremost and forward-thinking biologists. After arriving in Maine in 1946 as
an aquatic biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rachel Carson became
entranced with Maines coastal habitat, leading her to write the international best
seller The Sea Around Us. This landmark study, led Rachel Carson to become an
advocate on behalf of this Nations vast coastal habitat and the wildlife that depends
on it, the refuge that bears her name is dedicated to the permanent protection of
the salt marshes and estuaries of the southern Maine coast. Last year, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Rachel Carsons publication of her historic book, Silent Spring and look forward in continuing her message through various programs
at the refuge here in Maine.
I again extend our appreciation to the subcommittee for its ongoing commitment
to our National Wildlife Refuge System and respectfully request the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee allocate $476 million for the Refuge Systems fiscal year
2015 Operations & Maintenance (O&M) budget, and fund the LWCF at the $168.8
million level for fiscal year 2015. The LWCF request is constant every year, we need
Congress to standby their commitment that was made in 1964: stabilize the fund
at the $900 million level.
Thank you again, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to present this testimony in
support of protecting wildlife and its habitat. Enjoy your next walk out on a National Wildlife Refuge.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

FRIENDS

OF THE

FLORIDA PANTHER REFUGE

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee: The Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge recommends the following funding for fiscal year 2015:
National Wildlife Refuge System .......................................................... $476.4 million
Land and Water Conservation Fund .................................................... $168.8 million
Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act .....................................
$3.7 million
State Wildlife Grants .............................................................................
$58.7 million
Coastal Program .....................................................................................
$13.0 million
We also support funding changes within the fiscal year 2015 U.S. Department of
the Interior Wildlands Fire Budget to include:
Preparedness.A program increase of $34.1 million, including $15.0 million for
tribal resource management;
Resilient Landscape.Program established at $30.0 million;
Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR).A program increase of $2.0 million; and
Fixed Costs Increases.Fixed cost increases of $4.2 million.
Thank you for the opportunity to offer testimony concerning the funding of the
National Wildlife Refuge System and the Department of the Interiors Wildlands
Fire Management Budget. The 26,400 acre Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge (FPNWR) was established in southwest Florida to protect the critically endangered Florida panther and its habitat. The FPNWR is also populated with many
other species that are listed as threatened or endangered by Federal and State
agencies. The Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge is a non-profit volunteer organization with a mission to support the FPNWR and protect the Florida panther in
the wild. Our members are concerned for the future of the habitat and wildlife on
our refuge and Florida panther habitat in general.
We are also concerned about maintaining Floridas unique environment on public
and private lands. Southwest Florida supports a large tourist industry that is dependent on maintaining a healthy environment. Funds spent on protecting species
and water quality have a significant economic impact on the region.
FUNDING THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM

Our National Wildlife Refuge system needs to be fully funded to protect Americas
natural heritage. The Friends of the Florida Panther Refuge urges the Senate to appropriate $476 million in fiscal year 2015. A budget of $900 million every year, with
a minimum of $476 million for fiscal year 2015, is required to fully fund the operations and maintenance of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Funding less than
these amounts threatens permanent damage to the system.

104
Refuge mangers at the FPNWR are challenged by a variety of funding shortfalls
to fully carry out habitat restoration, invasive species control, prescribed burning,
baseline and updated wildlife inventories, education/interpretation, law enforcement, visitor services as well as technical assistance and collaborative efforts across
boundaries with private land holders. The staff at the FPNWR has been reduced
by six full time employees over the last 3 years representing a 32 percent decrease
in staff and is hard pressed to meet their goals.
THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND (LWCF)

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) should be appropriated $168.8
million in fiscal year 2015 to acquire conservation easements on working lands and
to purchase outright the vital habitats to support the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is an essential tool for protecting the integrity of Florida panther habitat. Funds of this program along with
funds from the State of Florida are critical to the survival of the Florida panther
and other Federal listed species. There is an opportunity with private land easements to not only protect Florida panther habitat but also the ranching heritage of
central and south Florida for future generations. This is a critical time through
easements and acquisition to provide wildlife corridors through central and south
Florida that will protect our life style, traditions, and natural resources for future
generations. Time will run out on this opportunity with lasting negative effects. The
window of to secure a place for Florida panthers, conservation and compatible agriculture in Florida is rapidly closing.
Increase appropriations for essential conservation programs including State Wildlife Grants, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, Coastal Grants, and
the Department of Interiors Fire Management Program.
State Wildlife Grants.The Fish and Wildlife Service works with Florida to keep
common species common and restore declining species before they warrant listing
under the Endangered Species Act. We ask the Senate to fund the State Wildlife
Grants Program at $58.7 million for fiscal year 2015 to fulfill the shared FederalState responsibility for keeping our Nations wildlife from becoming endangered.
Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA).Populations of
Neotropical birds are high on the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge and our
sister Refuge, the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge. NMBCA grants
conserve the habitats that neotropical birds use along their migration north and
south and in their wintering range throughout the Caribbean, Central, and South
America. This Act fortifies investments on national wildlife refuges by conserving
our birds during critical periods of their lifecycles spent outside of refuges and
often outside the United States. We request that the Senate reauthorize the
NMBCA and provide $3.7 million for fiscal year 2015.
Coastal Program.Water birds, sea turtles, game fish and other flora and fauna
attract many visitors to our sister Refuge, Ten Thousand National Wildlife Refuge.
The Coastal Program provides technical and financial assistance for voluntary efforts to protect and restore coastal habitats for wildlife. The coastal program is critical to implementing recovery projects such as restoring and enhancing estuarine
habitats, removing invasive species and derelict fishing gear, and stabilizing shoreline. We ask Senate to fund the Coastal Program at $13 million for fiscal year 2015.
U.S. Department of the Interior Wildlands Fire Management Budget.The Florida
Panther National Wildlife Refuge is highly dependent on the use of prescribed burns
to manage the habitat for the Florida panther and its prey. Reduced funding of the
fire operation budget has forced the Refuge to reduce positions over the last several
years. This situation has left critical habitat unburned and increased dangerous fuel
loads in this highly fire-dependent system. The State and the Federal governments
have invested billions of dollars to restore the Everglades, making a more resilient
ecosystem. Fire management in this region is needed complement the restoration.
We urge the Senate to include in fiscal year 2015 U.S. Department of the Interior
Wildlands Fire Budget:
Preparedness.A program increase of $34.1 million, including $15.0 million for
tribal resource management;
Resilient Landscape.Program established at $30.0 million;
Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR).A program increase of $2.0 million; and
Fixed Costs Increases.Fixed cost increases of $4.2 million.
Thank you for consideration of our comments.

105
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

FRIENDS OF THE SILVIO O. CONTE FISH

REFUGE

AND

WILDLIFE

Thank you for the opportunity to submit written testimony on behalf of the
Friends of the Silvio O. Conte Fish and Wildlife Refuge (Friends of Conte). The
Friends of Conte respectfully request $5 million ($2 million in discretionary funding;
$3 million in mandatory funding) for land acquisition projects in the Connecticut
River Watershed as well as full funding, $900 million, for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
The Friends of Conte represent organizations big and small, from all corners of
our four-State watershed. Our diverse membership includes groups that focus on
educating urban constituencies in Hartford, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts, groups that focus on providing recreational access to the river, business interests and local and regional watershed groups that focus on protecting the water that
we drink and swim and fish in, and national non-profits whose work includes the
Connecticut River watershed. We have been dedicated to recreation, education and
conservation in the Connecticut River Watershed for the past 7 years and represent
more than 65 organizations with more than 100,000 members.
The Connecticut River, New Englands main artery for commerce and transportation throughout the regions early development, gained additional notoriety in
1991 when President George H. W. Bush signed legislation establishing the Silvio
O. Conte Fish and Wildlife Refuge (Conte Refuge). Uniquely legislated among other
refuges in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service system, the Conte Refuge was founded
on three pillars: land protection, cooperative management and environmental education. The Conte Refuge is also unique as it attempts to conserve an entire watershed in which 2.3 million individuals co-exist with nature. Additionally, the Conte
Refuge calls for only a small acreage in public ownership, with the vast majority
of the watershed in privately-held lands. The refuge also works with those landowners to help them achieve their personal conservation goals for their properties.
The 4,840 acres and 35 tracts (1,274 acres and 14 tracts with discretionary funding and an additional 3,566 acres and 21 tracts with mandatory funding) in our
funding request spans the entire four-State Connecticut River watershed, protecting
critical forests, wetland and rivers. These acquisitions from willing sellers represent
a key opportunity to protect critical habitats and to provide recreational access to
the more than 2 million citizens of the watershed, as well as to the 70 million individuals who are within a days drive of the Conte Refuge.
Providing these recreational opportunities not only makes conservation sense, it
makes good economic sense. In 2013, the Outdoor Industry Association documented
an economic impact of $23.6 billion in consumer spending on outdoor recreation and
more than 200,000 in direct jobs in the four watershed States of Vermont, New
Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
More specifically, New Englands healthy fish and wildlife populations are also a
backbone of the regions economy. New Englands fish and wildlife support a $5.31
billion-dollar wildlife-related economy. This includes a $2.57 billion-dollar hunting
and angling economy and a $2.74 billion-dollar wildlife watching economy. In addition to outdoor recreation, the nature services these lands provide include water
quality and streamflow protection, as water filters through our forests prior to entering our rivers and streams, and flood protection as floodplain forests absorb and
slow flood waters.
As you know, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was established
by Congress nearly 50 years ago and will expire next year. We are at an important
juncture. If we miss this opportunity to celebrate and commemorate the 50th Anniversary of LWCF in all 50 States at the full funding level and continue the conservation legacy of LWCF for another 50 years; the quality of the natural environment will impact the human environment. These impacts will be exacerbated by
changes in climate and land use. Actions made possible by the LWCF Act of 1965
allow agency and elected leaders the opportunity to invest in monumental ways to
create another chapter in our Nations conservation legacy for future generations.
In closing, we thank you again for the opportunity to comment. The Friends of
Conte is a diverse association of organizations and individuals from conservation,
education, and recreation communities, who are avid supporters of the Conte Refuge
and the Connecticut River watershed. We believe the investment of funds from the
LWCF will enhance recreation and conservation, protect clean water, and support
jobs and economic vitality across the entire four-State watershed.

106
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

FRIENDS OF THE TAMPA BAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE

REFUGES, INC.

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee: On behalf of the 192 members
of the Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges (FTBNWR), including
Egmont Key National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Passage Key NWR, and Pinellas
NWR, I would like to thank you for your commitment to the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS). The 4 percent funding increase that you passed for fiscal year
2014 made a huge difference throughout the refuge system. We realize that in this
time of budget cuts, it may be difficult to justify increasing the NWRS funding
again, but once the Refuges start to decline it will cost many times more than these
small increases to return them to a condition that will fulfill their mandates. We
respectfully request that you consider the following in your appropriations:
Fund the National Wildlife Refuge System $476 million in fiscal year 2015.
Fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million for fiscal
year 2015, including a minimal commitment of $168.8 million for the National
Wildlife Refuge System.
Fund $35 million in fiscal year 2015 for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) and reauthorize the Act at $75 million.
Increase funding for essential conservation programs including $58.7 million for
State Wildlife Grants, $4 million for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, $13 million for Coastal Grants, and $60 million for the Department
of Interiors Fire Management Program.
The Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE) estimates that the
NWRS needs a budget of at least $900 million annually in operation and maintenance funding in order to properly administer its 150 million acres as mandated in
the Refuge Improvement Act. The Refuge System cannot fulfill its obligation to the
American public, our wildlife, and 46.5 million annual visitors without increases in
maintenance and operation funds. The current budget is far short of the amount actually required to effectively operate and maintain the Refuges. We respectfully request that you increase the NWRS budget to $476 million so that the Refuges do
not backslide even further in protecting these valuable lands and ecosystems. The
investment yields an impressive return, generating approximately 35,000 jobs and
$2.4 billion in economic output each year. Every dollar appropriated to the Refuge
System returns and average of $4.87 to local economies as well as providing $33
billion dollars worth of clean water and other environmental benefits such as clean
air and water and a cool climate.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund was created in 1965 and authorized at
$900 million. We ask that you reauthorize the LWCF at $900 million for fiscal year
2015 with a minimal commitment of $168.8 million to the National Wildlife Refuge
System. These funds are used for land acquisition as well as less expensive easements or leases to protect wildlife and their habitats. With the effects of a changing
climate, it is more important now than ever to establish key wildlife corridors between protected areas so wildlife can migrate to more suitable habitat as their historic ones change. These landscape level conservation efforts through conservation
easements and land purchases are the best way to protect the diversity of flora and
fauna. The price of real estate is still low at this time and the $900 million can go
much further in protecting habitats than it can in a higher market. When we start
to lose species due to lack of food, water, shelter, or space, we are changing the balance of nature. We urge you to fund the LWCF at $900 million for fiscal year 2015
with $168.8 million to acquire conservation easements on working lands and to purchase in-holdings and vital habitat for the NWRS. The LWCF is not funded by taxpayer money.
We ask that you appropriate $35 million in fiscal year 2015 for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) and reauthorize the Act at $75 million.
NAWCA supports habitat restoration, water quality improvements, and carbon sequestration. These projects developed by individuals and at the community level
benefit our declining migratory bird species as well as ducks and waterfowl.
Essential conservation programs to protect habitat and wildlife will cut expenses
in the future by protecting and improving what we have today. We request that you
fund the State Wildlife Grants Program at $58.7 million to fulfill the shared Federal-State responsibility for keeping our Nations wildlife from becoming endangered. The NMBCA grants conserve habitats for Neotropical birds as they migrate.
It covers areas outside of refuges and often outside the U.S. that many of our birds
utilize during critical periods of their life. We request you fund the NMBCA at $4
million for fiscal year 2015. The Coastal Program provides technical and financial
assistance for voluntary efforts to protect and restore coastal habitats for wildlife.
We ask that you fund this program at $13 million for fiscal year 2015. Lastly, pre-

107
scribed burns keep our refuges from becoming overgrown or having catastrophic
fires due to high fuel loads due to fire suppression. It is an important tool for managing wildlife habitat. We urge you to provide $60 million in dedicated funding to
the Refuge Systems fire program through the Department of the Interiors Hazardous Fuel Reduction program.
The Tampa Bay Refuges (TBR) are located at the mouth of Tampa Bay on the
west central Gulf coast of Florida. The budget increases a few years ago meant increased management, protection, and restoration of the Refuges and the ability to
better meet the Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP) goals. The wildlife on the
refuges has done well with the extra help. Due to those past increases in budget
and personnel the TBRs were able to plan for big picture issues such as erosion and
increased public use. Unfortunately, due to the budget decreases, much of that planning will not be implemented.
The recent budget decreases and the sequestration have hurt our refuges.
The Crystal River NWR Complex which included the Tampa Bay Refuges was
comprised of 5 refuges. It is now part of the 9 refuge North Florida NWR complex. In 2013, the Project Leader and both refuge managers from the Crystal
River Complex moved to other refuges, leaving no manager at the Tampa Bay
Refuges.
We are coming into the summer nesting season on Egmont & Pinellas NWRs.
Without a manager and with the heavy visitation in the warmer months, this
is a big problem. The refuge law enforcement (LE) officers are not able to patrol
Egmont Key as often during the key summer nesting season due to restrictions
in travel and overtime. This leaves the nesting birds open to more intrusions
by refuge visitors and nesting failures.
If a staff member leaves, he/she may not be replaced so the refuge can stay
afloat financially for the rest of this fiscal year because of the budgets. We have
already lost a maintenance position to keep the equipment, including the boats
used to access the island refuges, in good working order and now we are down
managers as well.
The refuge was able to eradicate exotic plants and predators on the refuges, but
with the budget, there is little or no money to monitor and keep up with the
work that has already been done. The result will be degraded habitat for refuges and their wildlife, including nesting failures.
Fire management budgets have been cut and prescribed fires have not been conducted Egmont Key as needed. This opens the island, its historic buildings, &
visitor center up to a much higher catastrophic wildfire risk.
There simply isnt enough money in the budget to purchase safety equipment,
like a GPS, for the refuge boat. The Tampa Bay Refuges 2014 budget didnt
have enough money to pay for storage at a marina for the boat used to get to
the refuges. Our Friends group made up the difference. Without a boat at a convenient location, the staff must waste valuable time and wages towing a boat
from the maintenance yard 80 miles away and then launching it near the islands. If the staff has to waste 34 hours of their day getting a boat ready they
only have a few hours to work, rather than a full 8 hour day working.
The Ft. Dade Guardhouse on Egmont Key NWR has been restored and will become the visitor center. The Refuge had grant money and installed the first
phase of the displays, but with the budgets the way they are staff may not have
time to keep this important environmental education center open to the public,
much less finish the next phase.
Egmont Key NWR has a huge erosion problem and can possibly be lost. Because
it is in an urban setting, the 32,000 pairs of birds who nest there yearly dont
have another location to go to. Because of the lack of funding, this refuge and
nesting habitat could be lost in the not too distant future. Passage Key NWR
has eroded to the point that it is a sandbar at low tides and no longer useful
for nesting: those birds moved to Egmont. There is nowhere else to go if Egmont
is lost.
These are just a few of the things impacting the Tampa Bay Refuges. Bottom line,
funding cuts hurt the wildlife that the NWRS is mandated to protect. The refuge
system has a very small budget compared to the whole Federal budget. It is not a
big impact to the Federal budget to give the refuges a little more funding whereas
the impact of reduced funding is devastating. Please consider funding $476 million
for the fiscal year 2015 Operations and Management budget.
The Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges (FTBNWR) was incorporated and became a 501c3 in 2008 to better assist the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges with volunteers and fundraising. In 2013 FTBNWR was able to provide
over 3000 volunteer hours to assist the refuge staff with exotic invasive control, refuge cleanups, and education. FTBNWR has been able to raise money to fund contin-

108
ued removal of invasive plants on the Pinellas Refuges that degrade the habitat for
the wildlife. FTBNWR has also purchased equipment for the refuge boat and contributed to the local storage of the boat. The FTBNWR also continued their Education Program to provide outdoor environmental educational programs at our local
schools for grades K5 and also environmental field trips to nearby preserves to
teach our 4th & 5th graders about the NWRS and the environment. Volunteers act
as bird stewards on Egmont Key NWR during the summer nesting season to enhance the visitors experience on the refuge through education. Our refuges do not
have enough staff to provide these education programs so we have filled that gap
as volunteers. Our volunteers are passionate about the Refuge System and donate
their time, money, and expertise to protect them.
The Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges is one of over 230
Friends groups who support the National Wildlife Refuges. The interest in our National Wildlife Refuge System is significant and we are proving it with our donated
time and funds.
In conclusion, the Friends of the Tampa Bay National Wildlife Refuges believe the
National Wildlife Refuge System can meet its conservation objectives only with
strong and consistent funding leveraged by the work of refuge staff and volunteers.
We again extend our appreciation to the subcommittee for its ongoing commitment
to our National Wildlife Refuge System. We encourage you to approve $476 million
for the fiscal year 2015 National Wildlife Refuge System Operations and Maintenance budget managed by FWS and to approve $900 million for fiscal year 2015 for
the LWCF land acquisition budget as well as a dedicated $168.8 million for the
NWRS. Additionally, we urge you to appropriate $35 million in fiscal year 2015 to
the NAWCA, $58.7 million to the State Wildlife Grants Program, $4 million to the
NMBCA, $13 million to the Coastal Program, and $60 million dedicated to the Refuge Systems fire program through the Department of the Interiors Hazardous Fuel
Reduction Program.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY

OF

AMERICA

SUMMARY

The Geological Society of America (GSA) urges Congress to at least fully fund the
fiscal year 2015 request for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). As one of our Nations key science agencies, the USGS plays a vital role in understanding and documenting mineral and energy resources needed for economic growth; researching and
monitoring potential natural hazards that threaten U.S. and international security;
and determining and assessing water quality and availabilitykeys to a healthy
and prosperous society. Approximately two-thirds of the USGS budget is allocated
for research and development. In addition to underpinning the science activities and
decisions of the Department of the Interior, this research is used by communities
across the Nation to make informed decisions in land use planning, emergency response, natural resource management, engineering, and education. Despite the critical role played by the USGS, funding for the Survey has stagnated in real dollars
for more than a decade and the request is still below the fiscal year 2010 budget.
Given the importance of the many activities of the Survey that protect lives and
property, stimulate innovations that fuel the economy, provide national security,
and enhance the quality of life, GSA believes that balanced growth in Federal funding for the Survey is necessary for the future of our Nation.
The Geological Society of America, founded in 1888, is a scientific society with
over 26,000 members from academia, government, and industry in all 50 States and
more than 100 countries. Through its meetings, publications, and programs, GSA
enhances the professional growth of its members and promotes the geosciences in
the service of humankind.
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CONTRIBUTIONS TO NATIONAL SECURITY, HEALTH, AND
WELFARE

The USGS is one of the Nations premier science agencies. Approximately twothirds of the USGS budget is allocated for research and development. In addition
to underpinning the science activities and decisions of the Department of the Interior, this research is used by communities across the Nation to make informed decisions in land use planning, emergency response, natural resource management, engineering, and education. USGS research addresses many of societys greatest challenges for national security, health, and welfare. Several are highlighted below.
Natural hazardsincluding earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions,
wildfires, and landslidesare a major cause of fatalities and economic losses.

109
Recent natural disasters, including the landslide in Washington and California
earthquakes, provide unmistakable evidence that the United States remains
vulnerable to staggering losses. An improved scientific understanding of geologic
hazards will reduce future losses through better forecasts of their occurrence
and magnitude and allow for better planning and mitigation in these areas.
GSA urges Congress to support efforts for USGS to modernize and upgrade its
natural hazards monitoring and warning systems to protect communities from
the devastating personal and economic effects of natural disasters. GSA is concerned about cuts to this important program in the request.
A 2013 report by the National Research Council, Emerging Workforce Trends
in the Energy and Mining Industries: A Call to Action, found, Energy and mineral resources are essential for the Nations fundamental functions, its economy,
and its security. Improved scientific understanding of these resources will
allow for their more economic and environmental management and utilization.
Nevertheless, Federal programs in minerals science, research, information, data
collection and analysis have been severely weakened. Funding for the USGS
Mineral Resources Program, the only primary source for minerals science and
information, has been cut by 30 percent in constant dollar terms over the last
decade, reducing its ability to provide critical information on mineral potential,
production, and consumption that is used for decisionmaking across the Federal
Government and by a range of businesses and industries.
Many emerging energy technologiessuch as wind turbines and solar cellsdepend on rare earth elements and critical minerals that currently lack diversified
sources of supply. China accounts for 95 percent of world production of rare
earth elements (USGS, 2010). USGS research will play a lead role in helping
ease our dependence on these foreign sources.
The ongoing water crisis in California and elsewhere is a testament to our dependence on water. The availability and quality of surface water and groundwater are vital to the well being of both society and ecosystems. Greater scientific understanding of these resources through monitoring and research is
necessary to ensure adequate and safe water resources for the health and welfare of society.
USGS research on climate impacts is used by the Department of the Interior
and local policymakers and resource managers to make sound decisions based
on the best possible science. The Climate Science Centers, for example, provide
scientific information necessary to anticipate, monitor, and adapt to climate
changes effects at regional and local levels.
The Landsat satellites have amassed the largest archive of remotely sensed
land data in the world, a tremendously important resource for natural resource
exploration, land use planning, and assessing water resources, the impacts of
natural disasters, and global agriculture production. Last years successful
launch of Landsat 8 is an important step to continue to provide these resources.
GSA supports interagency efforts to plan a path forward for future support of
Landsat.
Research in Earth science is fundamental to training and educating the next generation of Earth science professionals. The United States faces a looming shortage
of qualified workers in these areas that are critical for national security. We are
very concerned that cuts in earth science funding will cause students and young
professionals to leave the field, potentially leading to a lost generation of professionals in areas that are already facing worker shortages. Investments in these
areas could lead to job growth, as demand for these professionals now and in the
future is assessed to be high.
The report Emerging Workforce Trends in the Energy and Mining Industries: A
Call to Action, found, In mining (nonfuel and coal) a personnel crisis for professionals and workers is pending and it already exists for faculty. Another recent
study, Status of the Geoscience Workforce 2011, by the American Geosciences Institute found: The supply of newly trained geoscientists falls short of geoscience workforce demand and replacement needs. . . . aggregate job projections are expected to
increase by 35 percent between 2008 and 2018. . . . The majority of geoscientists
in the workforce are within 15 years of retirement age. By 2030, the unmet demand
for geoscientists in the petroleum industry will be approximately 13,000 workers for
the conservative demand industry estimate.
Science and technology are engines of economic prosperity, environmental quality,
and national security. Earth science is a critical component of the overall science
and technology enterprise. Growing support for Earth science in general and the
U.S. Geological Survey in particular are required to stimulate innovations that fuel
the economy, provide security, and enhance the quality of life.

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As the National Science Boards recent 2014 Science & Engineering Indicators reports, Americas share of the worlds R&D fell from 37 percent to 30 percent from
2001 and 2012. As other nations have been increasing their support for long-term,
high-risk research, we have been allowing ours to stagnate or decline. We must reverse that trend and tackle our mounting innovation deficit if we want to retain our
global economic leadership.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony about the U.S. Geological Survey. For additional information or to learn more about the Geological Society of
Americaincluding GSA Position Statements on water resources, mineral and energy resources, natural hazards, and public investment in Earth science research
please visit www.geosociety.org or contact Kasey White at kwhite@geosociety.org.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

GREAT SALT LAKE COUNCIL

AMERICA

OF THE

BOY SCOUTS

OF

Mr. Chairman and honorable members of the subcommittee: I am representing

the Great Salt Lake Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and we wish to express
our support for the Land and Water Conservation Fund, particularly the Presidents
fiscal year 2015 budget request for Forest Service land acquisition.
The Presidents proposed budget includes two line items, one in the discretionary
portion of the budget and the other in the mandatory section, totaling $3 million,
for Wasatch Watersheds-Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Property currently owned by
the Boy Scouts in Mill Creek Canyon would be acquired by the Forest Service if
Congress approves sufficient funding. The requested funds, though not enough to acquire all of the Boy Scout property available for sale, would allow for a substantial
first phase purchase. The Council has been interested in selling approximately 700
acres to the Forest Service since 2011. This is the first year, however, that funding
has been included in the Federal budget for the project.
Mill Creek Canyon is one of the main canyons in the Wasatch Front, the iconic
backdrop for the major population area of Utah. In the mid-1800s, early settlers of
Salt Lake City established 20 mills in the canyon that provided everything from
lumber to flour for the growing population of settlers. Today, Mill Creek Canyon is
well known to residents of the Salt Lake Valley and has long been a popular area
for hiking, biking, and many other recreational activities. The Great Salt Lake
Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) would like to sell five parcels of land
in this area that are considered surplus to its Camp Tracy. The BSA will continue
to own and operate the camp, while planning to use the proceeds from the proposed
sale to acquire land and facilities elsewhere to benefit the youth of our community
and organization. These parcels were originally placer mining claims that were donated to the Scouts nearly a century ago. Adding these parcels to the national forest
would also preserve the essential camp experience for the 17,500 scouts and volunteers who visit Camp Tracy each year.
Nearly all of the parcels contain segments of trails, including the Bonneville
Shoreline Trail, Pipeline Trail, Grandeur Peak Trail, and Thayne Canyon Trail. Mill
Creek Canyon is a major recreational destination for hiking, biking, snowshoeing,
cross country skiing, and picnicking due to its proximity to Salt Lake City and the
greater Wasatch Front area; the canyon entrance borders the Salt Lake City limits.
Currently the public lands in the area are being managed jointly by Salt Lake
County and the Forest Service. Including these private parcels in the surrounding
national forest will ensure public access into the future and provide for better management of the trails, trailheads, and other recreational sites.
Mill Creek Canyon is one of seven major canyons listed in Salt Lake Citys Watershed Management Plan and will play a role in the future city water supply. The
Watershed Management Plan recommends watershed protection through acquisitions by Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, and the Forest Service. The resource
management plan for the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest charges the Forest
Service with managing and protecting watersheds used as a municipal water source
in cooperation with Salt Lake City. The property contains a portion of Mill Creek
a tributary to the Jordan Riverin addition to a number of gulches and smaller
canyons that feed into Mill Creek. The Forest Service Watershed Condition Framework rating for Mill Creek is Class Twofunctioning at riskmeaning one or more
existing attributes make it susceptible to degradation. Forest Service ownership will
protect this important water resource, which could be impaired if the surrounding
land were to be sold for development rather than conservation. The Forest Service
is currently working with State wildlife authorities on a project designed to support
recovery of the Bonneville cutthroat trout, which is native in this drainage and is
included on the Utah Sensitive Species List. Other wildlife found on and around this

111
land include bald eagle, deer, elk, mountain lion, bighorn sheep, and Canada lynx
a species listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
It is our desire that these lands be conserved, but we may have to offer the property on the open marketand possible developmentif the Forest Service is unable
to acquire the land in a timely fashion. As mentioned previously, we have been
working on this proposal with the Forest Service for over 3 years and we need to
utilize the proceeds from the sale of this property to improve services to the growing
number of Scouts in the Salt Lake City metroplex. We want to work with the Forest
Service to preserve this land for its abundant natural resources and recreational opportunities dear to the hearts of so many visitors.
We urge the Interior Subcommittee to provide appropriations from the Land and
Water Conservation Fund to protect Mill Creek Canyon through this proposed land
acquisition. I want to thank the Chairman and the members of the subcommittee
for this opportunity to testify on behalf of this nationally important protection effort
in Utah, and I appreciate your consideration of this funding request.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

HEALING OUR WATERS-GREAT LAKES COALITION

Members of the subcommittee. It is an honor to provide this testimony about one

of our worlds most prized natural and economic treasuresour Great Lakes. The
Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition joins a bi-partisan group of 46 Representatives and 11 Senators in asking you to support $300 million for the Great
Lakes Restoration Initiative in fiscal year 2015. We appreciate the trust you have
shown the region over the last 4 years and ask you to maintain this support.
Our Coalition is comprised of more than 120 environmental, conservation, hunting, and fishing organizations; museums, zoos, and aquariums; and businesses representing millions of people whose goal is to restore and protect the Great Lakes.
We came together to fight for the Great Lakes, and we recognize the need for Federal assistance for all great waters, including Puget Sound, the Everglades, Coastal
Louisiana, and Chesapeake Bay.
Mr. Chairman and ranking member, 30 million people rely on the Great Lakes
for their drinking water, and the entire country benefits from the commerce that
depends on these waters. Protecting and restoring them is a huge non-partisan priority for the people in the region. We recognize that the Federal Government is our
partner in an endeavor to help heal the lakes through the undertaking of one of
the worlds largest freshwater ecosystem restoration projects. Non-governmental
groups, industries, cities, and States are forging public-private partnerships to clean
up toxic hot spots, restore fish and wildlife habitat, and combat invasive species.
Our Coalition has invested almost half a million dollars of our own resources to help
our member groups restore and protect this resource. The philanthropic community
has also invested approximately $100 million over the past 4 years through initiatives to educate citizens and policy makers about the Great Lakes environment and
to identify actions and policies that most effectively will restore its health.
ECONOMIC BENEFITS

We do this work because cleaning up the Great Lakes is critical for the health
and quality of life of the region. It also drives economic developmentand jobs
in communities all around the Basin. Investments in Great Lakes restoration are
creating jobs and leading to long-term economic benefits for the Great Lakes States
and the country. A Brookings Institution report shows that every $1 invested in
Great Lakes restoration generates at least $2 in return, making Great Lakes restoration one of the best investments on the dollar in the Federal budget. Research
from Grand Valley State University shows that the return for certain projects is
closer to 6-to-1. The University of Michigan has also demonstrated that over 1.5 million jobs are connected to the Great Lakes, accounting for more than $60 billion in
wages annually. According to the Great Lakes Commission, more than 37 million
people boat, fish, hunt, and view wildlife in the region, generating over $50 billion
annually. Great Lakes businesses and individuals account for about 28 percent of
the U.S. gross domestic product, according to Bureau of Economic Analysis data.
We have also seen jobs being created by our Nations efforts to clean up the Great
Lakes and restore fish and wildlife habitat. These jobs include wetland scientists,
electricians, engineers, landscape architects, plumbers, truck drivers, and many others. While we do not know how many jobs have been created to clean up the Great
Lakes, it is likely in the thousands. Consider:
125 jobs were created for a $10 million project to restore fish and wildlife habitat in Muskegon Lake, a Great Lakes Area of Concern in Michigan.

112
177 people are employed to control the invasive sea lamprey in the Great Lakes,
which costs the U.S. Government around $20 million annually.
174 jobs were created, some of which were filled by at-risk youth, to remove
dams and other barriers in a 150-mile stretch of the Milwaukee River system.
Specifically, stories like that of business owner Jim Nichols of Carry Manufacturing are increasingly common. Jim tells of how Great Lakes Restoration Initiative
(GLRI) projects are adding new orders for his manufacturing business. Carry Manufacturing has manufactured water control equipment since 1987. Their employees
are being kept busy building submersible pumps for GLRI projects that flood duck
habitat or drain areas to re-establish native habitat for sport fishing. The jobs add
up when you begin counting the men and women at other companies who manufacture the pipes for the pumps, the control structures in which the pumps are housed,
and the hunters, anglers, and wildlife watchers that benefit from the improved environment the pumps help create.
INVESTMENTS PRODUCING RESULTS

The people that have been put to work protecting and restoring the Great Lakes
are working on projects that are producing results (from EPAs 2014 congressional
budget justification and 2013 report to Congress):
The Presque Isle, PA, Area of Concern (AOC) was delisted, the first since 2006,
and the second U.S. AOC since they were established in 1987. The management
actions necessary for delisting the Sheboygan, Wisconsin, AOC were also completed, Ashtabula, Ohio, is very close, and two more de-listings are expected in
fiscal year 2015. (EPA 2014)
Between 2010 through 2013, 29 beneficial use impairments (BUIs) at 13 AOCs
were removed in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, more than tripling the total number of BUIs removed in the preceding
22 years. More BUIs have been removed since the GLRI began than between
1987 and 2009. (EPA 2014)
From 2004 to 2009, the Great Lakes region was the only area in the country
to show a gain in wetland acreage. Now the GLRI is building on that foundation
with a goal to restore one million acres in the Basin. So far, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), National Park Service (NPS), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) (among others) restored, protected, or enhanced over 115,000 acres of
wetlands and other habitat. (EPA 2014)
1,900 river miles were cleared of over 250 barriers resulting in fish swimming
into stretches of river where they have been absent for decades. (EPA 2014)
Based on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service monitoring, GLRI-sponsored actions are
increasing self-sustaining populations of native species important to the Great
Lakes, like lake sturgeon. For example, efforts in the Saginaw River watershed
have contributed to the now self-sustaining walleye population in Saginaw Bay,
Michigan. (EPA 2013)
Nearly 800,000 acres of Great Lakes agricultural land were put into U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation contracts to reduce erosion and
nutrient runoff into Great Lakes tributaries. (EPA 2014)
These numbers are impressive. The stories behind them, however, are more illuminating as to the types of results that we are seeing and what is being accomplished. The Coalition has documented more than 100 restoration success stories
across the region.1 Among them:
At the Ashtabula River in Ohio, a sediment cleanup and habitat restoration
project has restored the lower two miles of the river and advanced efforts to get
it de-listed as a Great Lakes Area of Concern. The project has improved water
quality and deepened the river channel, making the lower Ashtabula suitable
again for maritime commerce, fishing, and recreation boating.
The Grand Calumet River in Indiana, which flows through a heavily industrialized area south of Chicago, was for years considered Americas most polluted
river. Thanks to a major cleanup, a large wetland was restored and more than
575,000 cubic yards of toxic mud was removed from the Lake Michigan tributary. The restoration project addressed pollution that had led to fish consumption advisories, drinking water restrictions, beach closings, habitat destruction,
and an array of other environmental problems.
At Clear Creek in Freedom, New York, excess stream erosion and sediment, instream barriers, elevated water temperatures, and competition from invasive
fish restricted brook trout to a few tributaries in the watershed. A Great Lakes
1 Found

at www.healthylakes.org/successes/.

113
Restoration Initiative project restored 1,200 linear feet of in-stream habitat and
re-established fish passage over a sheet-pile grade control structure, reconnecting six miles of prime trout habitat.
HOW WE ARE DOING THE WORK

How the region is accomplishing all this work is as impressive as what we are
doing. The GLRI, which President Obama first proposed in 2010, is a model for
large, land-scape scale restoration. It ensures that the focus remains on the highest
regional priorities that were identified through a large stakeholder process in 2005,
which was initiated by President George W. Bush. The initiative itself is implementing a restoration strategy called the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration Strategy to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes that over 1,500 people helped build. It
also provides an outlet for the United States to meet its obligations under the new
Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement with Canada. The GLRI is a critical component towards ensuring that the goals we set for ourselves in both the agreement
and comprehensive plan can be achieved.
Additionally, the GLRI sought to fix problems the Government Accountability Office identified in 2003 when it complained that there was inadequate coordination
among Federal agencies and between Federal and non-Federal stakeholders.2 Now,
the EPA, working with other Federal agencies like the Fish and Wildlife Service,
NOAA, NRCS, and the National Park Service, can quickly convert the funding they
receive to supplement restoration activities through their existing, authorized programs. This structure allows for funds to move quickly from EPA through the interagency agreements EPA reaches with the other agencies and onto the ground to
complete important restoration work. This model also ensures accountability
through the establishment of an orchestra leader (EPA), helps accelerate progress,
and avoids potential duplication, all of which help save taxpayers money while focusing efforts on the highest, consensusbased priorities.3
MAINTAINING RESULTS UNTIL THE JOB IS DONE

Unfortunately, the health of the Great Lakes continues to be seriously threatened

by problems such as sewage overflows that close beaches, toxic pollution that poses
a threat to the health of people and wildlife, algal blooms that harm local drinking
water supplies, and invasive species that hurt fish and wildlife populations and our
outdoor recreation economy. While we have cleaned up two AOCs, there are still 27
more to go. Algal blooms in Lake Erie and other lakes still result in cancelled charter boat tours and closed beaches. Communities are still dealing with legacy pollutants that have led to drinking water restrictions, beach closings, and fish consumption advisories. Our work is not done so maintaining Federal funding is needed.
Additionally, this Congress should remove all doubt that the region is on the right
path and pass legislation that specifically authorizes the GLRI. Currently, EPA is
using existing authorities coupled with the legislative language you provide as the
statutory basis for its coordinating role. Passing legislation, such as that introduced
by Representative David Joyce and Senator Carl Levin, creates greater certainty for
the program and allows everyone to focus on getting the job done.
Lastly, EPAs Science Advisory Board (SAB) noted in a 2012 report that the GLRI
Action Plan supported initial Federal investments to restore the Lakes because
enough was known about the problems and potential solutions to impairments in
the Great Lakes to initiate action; the Action Plan identified most of the key actions
needed; and the Action Plan is largely consistent with previous plans and strategies.
However, the SABs report pointed out that the GLRI needs to do better research,
monitoring, and assessment. It also pointed out that the GLRI lacks a formal
science-based framework for assessing progress and evaluating future priorities. We
believe this science-based framework and independent science advice is critical to
make Great Lakes restoration efforts as efficient and effective as possible; that the
regions scientists must be engaged in producing and helping implement that plan
and not just asked to react to a federally-generated adaptive management blueprint;
and that EPA must use an appropriate portion of GLRI funds to implement, coordi2 We anticipate that the GLRI Action Plan for fiscal year 20152019 will incorporate changes
that address the concerns raised by GAO in 2013. Those concerns included, in part, recommending the initiative incorporate climate change into its goals and create metrics of success
that better link the ecological change being sought to the actions being supported and undertaken.
3 Even with quick Federal action, the Great Lakes region has a shortened work season because of winter conditions. This can result in a longer time period for grantees to outlay GLRI
funds rather than just the obligation of funds.

114
nate, and better communicate the Federal and non-Federal research, monitoring,
and assessmentongoing and requiredfor future success.
CONCLUSION

Thank you again for the opportunity to share our views with you. The GLRI is
delivering results. But more work remains. Cutting restoration funding now will
only make projects harder and more expensive the longer we wait. While we are
greatly encouraged by the progress we are seeing in local communities across the
region, we all must keep in mind that it will take time for all of us to see lakewide
environmental improvement in an ecosystem the size of the Great Lakes. We are
seeing hundreds of trees but it still will take time to make them into a forest.
We also recognize the tough choices you face, but we believe that restoring the
Great Lakes is not only good for the environment but also is good for the national
economy as well. We hope you will maintain $300 million for the GLRI next year.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

HOPI TRIBE

The Hopi Tribe: Issues of the Consolidated Tribal Government Programs:

Contract Support Cost.The Hopi Tribe recommends that Congress amend the
Contract Support Cost (CSC) issue to include (1) full funding (100 percent) for
Indian tribes needed for CSC for fiscal year 2015; (2) that fiscal year 2015 contain a separate appropriation for CSC in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
budget structure; and (3) that the BIA propose the repeal of the term not to
exceed in the appropriations statutory language with reference to the annual
CSC appropriations.
The Hopi Tribe request the following from the Bureau of Indian Affairs.Fiscal
year 2015 operating plan funding level on internal transfers for Consolidated
Tribal Government Program contracts, Federal pay costs, tribal pay costs, and
other administrative cost. Pursuant to fiscal year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act, the Department of the Interior was directed to submit an operating
plan to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Our tribe is requesting this
information so that we can better understand how fiscal year 2015 Indian Affairs funding levels will be determined.
There are many other important issues that need to be addressed, including:
The impacts of the fiscal year 2013 sequester for the BIA and Indian Health
Service.
The proposed administrative cost savings cuts that will reduce BIA staffing
at BIA agencies and will reduce funding for future 638 contracts, in particular,
the cuts to the real estate services program.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

HUMANE SOCIETY

OF THE

UNITED STATES (HSUS)

Thank you for the opportunity to offer testimony to the Interior, Environment,
and Related Agencies Subcommittee on items of importance to our organizations.
We urge the subcommittee to address these priority issues in the fiscal year 2015
Department of Interior appropriation.
ROCK CREEK PARK DEER

The HSUS requests that funds made available in this Act give preference to nonlethal deer management programs over lethal at Rock Creek Park. The National
Park Service (NPS) has been using lethal methods for controlling the deer population in Rock Creek Park despite the availability of non-lethal methods that cost
significantly less taxpayer money and result in a more effective long-term solution
to human-wildlife conflicts in the park and its environs. In the future, we ask that
priority be given to humane, non-lethal methods with respect to decisions regarding
funding deer management programs.
LARGE CONSTRICTOR SNAKES

In March 2010, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) issued a proposed rule to
list nine large constrictor snakes as injurious under the Lacey Act. However, in January 2012 the Secretary announced that only four species would be listed. We encourage this subcommittee to direct the FWS to immediately move forward with the
injurious listing of the five remaining species, which will prohibit importation and
interstate movement of these animals as pets. A comprehensive report by the U.S.

115
Geological Survey showed these non-native snakes all pose a medium or high risk
to the health of our Nations ecosystems. Large constrictor snakes have been released or escaped into the environment and have colonized Everglades National
Park, continue to threaten areas in Hawaii, and have established populations in
Puerto Rico. Scientists warn they may also become established in other areas of the
country. The Service must have the resources to respond quickly to prevent the
spread and establishment of these snakes into new areas.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program

Research focused on molecular screening has the potential to revolutionize toxicity
testing, improving both its efficiency as well as the quality of information available
for human safety assessment in the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program
(EDSP). These next generation tools hold considerable promise to speed up the assessments of chemicals in the EDSP and reduce, and ultimately, may replace animal use. We urge the subcommittee to incorporate the following report language,
which is also supported by the American Chemistry Council:
The subcommittee recognizes that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) is implementing the use of Tox21 information in the prioritization of chemicals for screening in the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP). The subcommittee supports this activity as part of a pathway-based approach to endocrine
assessment, and directs EPA to focus its efforts to develop adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) for estrogen, androgen and thyroid modes of action and, when sufficient scientific confidence has been demonstrated, to utilize mechanistic information
not only in prioritization, but also in hazard and risk assessment to reduce, refine
or replace tests involving living animals. EPA is directed to develop a scientific confidence framework for AOPs and associated prediction models, and after public comment and peer review, implement this framework to assure confidence in specific
AOPs is explicitly demonstrated for intended uses.
The subcommittee also recognizes that EPA is continuing to extend existing longterm reproduction studies in birds, fish, and other species to two- or multi-generation tests for the EDSP. The subcommittee understands that EPA contributed to an
international review of rat reproduction studies that showed the lack of utility of
a second generation and supporting replacement of the two-generation mammalian
study with a more efficient extended one-generation design. The subcommittee directs EPA to maximize the efficiency of each EDSP protocol and minimize unnecessary costs and animal use by assessing the utility (including sensitivity, specificity
and value of information added relative to the assessment of endocrine disruption)
of each endpoint in these multigenerational studies, including specifically the need
to produce more than one generation of offspring in the bird, fish and amphibian
EDSP Tier 2 tests and issue a public report on its findings for comment and peer
review. The subcommittee also directs EPA to minimize or to eliminate unnecessary
endocrine screening and testing, and to use existing scientific data in lieu of requiring new data, when possible and scientifically supportable. The subcommittee understands that EPA is currently working with OECD to develop and modify EDSP
methods. EPA should work within the framework and timing of the OECD Test
Guideline work plan to minimize duplicative efforts.
Science and Technology Account21st Century Toxicology In 2007, the National
Research Council published its report titled Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century:
A Vision and a Strategy. This report catalyzed collaborative efforts across the research community to focus on developing new, advanced molecular screening methods for use in assessing potential adverse health effects of environmental agents. It
is widely recognized that the rapid emergence of omics technologies, cell- and tissuebased methods and other advanced technologies offers great promise to transform
toxicology from a discipline largely based on observational outcomes from animal
tests as the basis for safety determinations to a discipline that uses knowledge of
biological pathways and molecular modes of action to predict hazards and potential
risks. We urge the Committee to incorporate the following language:
The subcommittee supports EPAs leadership role in the creation of a new paradigm for chemical risk assessment based on the incorporation of advanced molecular
biological and computational methods in lieu of animal toxicity tests. The subcommittee encourages EPA to continue to expand its extramural and intramural
support for the use of pathway-based approaches in environmental and human
health research to further define toxicity and disease pathways and develop tools
for their integration into evaluation strategies. Extramural and intramural funding
should be made available for research and development of cell and tissue-based
mechanistic methods, interpretation and prediction tools, including pilot studies of

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pathway-based hazard and risk assessment. The data sets and prediction models
generated should be transparent, publicly disseminated, consistent with corresponding international efforts, and, to assure readiness and utility for regulatory
purposes, undergo public review and comment and independent scientific peer review to establish relevance and reliability. The subcommittee requests EPA provide
a report on associated funding in fiscal year 2014 for such activity and a progress
report in the congressional justification request, featuring a 5-year plan for projected budgets for the development of mechanism-based methods, including Tox21
and other related activities and prediction models and activities specifically focused
on establishing scientific confidence in them for regulatory purposes. The subcommittee also requests EPA prioritize an additional (1-3 percent) of its Science and
Technology budget from within existing funds for such activity.
MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION FUND

The administrations fiscal year 2015 budget requests $9.06 million for the Multinational Species Conservation Fund (MSCF) program which funds African and
Asian elephants, rhinos, tigers, great apes like chimps and gorillas, and sea turtles.
The HSUS joins a broad coalition of organizations in support of the administrations
request while ensuring that the sales from the semi-postal stamps benefiting this
program remain supplementary to annually appropriated levels. We also request
$13 million for the Wildlife Without Borders and International Wildlife Trade programs within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Office of International
Affairs.
While we wholeheartedly support continued funding for the MSCF, we are concerned about past incidents and oppose any future use of funds from these conservation programs to promote trophy hunting, trade in animal parts, and other consumptive usesincluding live capture for trade, captive breeding, and entertainment for public display industryunder the guise of conservation for these animals.
Grants made to projects under the MSCF must be consistent with the spirit of the
law.
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENTWILD HORSE AND BURRO PROGRAM

The Humane Society of the United States (The HSUS) is one of the leading advocates for the protection and welfare of wild horses and burros in the U.S. with a
long history of working collaboratively with the Bureau of Land Management
(BLM)the agency mandated to protect Americas wild horses and burroson the
development of effective and humane management techniques.
The HSUS strongly supports a significant reduction in the number of wild horses
and burros gathered and removed from our rangelands annually. We believe removing horses from the range without implementing any active program for suppressing
the population growth rate has proven itself to be an unsustainable method of management of our Nations wild horses, and simply leads to a continual cycle of roundups and removals when more long-term, cost-efficient and humane management
strategies, such as fertility control, are readily available.
For years, the BLM has removed far more wild horses and burros from the range
than it could possibly expect to adopt annually, and as a consequence, the costs associated with caring for these animals off the range have continued to skyrocket.
The annual costs associated with caring for one wild horse in a long term holding
facility is approximately $500, and the average lifespan of a wild horse in captivity
is 30 years. Today, there are more than 50,000 wild horses and burros in these
pens, and the agency spends more than 50 percent of its annual Wild Horse and
Burro budget on holding costs. The BLM must balance the number of animals removed from the range annually with the number of animals it can expect to adopt
in a given year if it hopes to effectively reduce off-the-range management costs.
Further, the BLMs current program of management of wild horses has negative
effects that go beyond a simple cost-benefit analysis. For instance, the recommendations in the National Academy of Sciences 2013 report Using Science to Improve
the BLM Wild Horse and Burro Program: A Way Forward, commissioned by the
BLM itself, stated that it is BLMs own practices of managing wild horses below
food-limited carrying capacity by rounding up and removing a significant proportion of the herds population every three to 4 years that is facilitating high horse
population growth rates on the range.
As such, it is incumbent that the BLM move away from current management
practices to create a long-term, humane and financially sustainable path. It is our
1 GAO, Rangeland Management: Improvements Needed in Federal Wild Horse Program, GAO/
RCED90110 (Washington D.C.: Aug. 20, 1990).

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belief that the most cost-effective and humane approach is for the BLM to move aggressively forward with a contraceptive program which prioritizes on-the-range
management of wild horses and burros. This path forward is supported by the National Academy of Sciences report, which called for an increased usage of on-therange management tools, including the usage of the fertility control vaccine PZP.
Further, a 2008 paper determined that contraception on-the-range could reduce
total wild horse and burro management costs by 14 percent, saving $6.1 million per
year.2 Finally, the results of a paper describing an economic model commissioned
by The HSUS indicates that by treating wild horses on one hypothetical Herd Management Area (HMA) with the fertility control vaccine Porcine Zona Pellucida (PZP),
the BLM could save approximately $5 million dollars over 12 years while achieving
and maintaining Appropriate Management Levels (AML) of 874 horses. Since the
BLM estimates that more than 40,000 wild horses roam on 179 HMAs in the United
States, the use of PZP could result in a cost-savings of tens of millions of dollars
if applied broadly across all HMAs.
For these reasons, while we support the BLMs request for a 2.8 million dollar
budget increase to fund additional research on contraception and population growth
suppression methods, we request that the agency be required to immediately begin
usage of the NAS-recommended fertility control methods that are currently available.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE INDEPENDENT

TRIBAL COURTS REVIEW TEAM

Thank you for the opportunity to address the serious funding needs that have limited and continue to hinder the operations of tribal judicial systems in Indian Country. I am the lead judge representing the Independent Tribal Court Review Team.
We thank this subcommittee for the funding provided in prior years. These funds
were a blessing to tribes. It is the strong recommendation of the Independent Tribal
Courts Review Team that the Federal tribal courts budget be substantially increased in fiscal year 2015 to support the needs of tribal judicial systems.
BUDGET PRIORITIES, REQUESTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1. $10 million Increase for tribal courts above the fiscal year 2010 enacted level.
2. $58.4 million authorized under the Indian Tribal Justice Act of 1993, Public
Law 103176, 25 U.S.C. 3601 and re-authorized in year 2000 Public Law 106
559 (no funds have been appropriated to date).
3. Support the requests and recommendations of the National Congress of American Indians.
The increase will support:
1. Hiring and Training of Court Personnel.
2. Compliance with the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010.
3. Compliance with the VAWA Act of 2013.
4. Salary Increases for Existing Judges and Court Personnel.
5. State-of-the-Art Technology for Tribal Courts.
6. Security and Security Systems To Protect Court Records and Privacy of Case
Information.
7. Tribal Court Code Development.
8. Financial Code Development.
The Independent Court Review Team supports the proposed $1.35 million increase in the fiscal year 2014 Presidents budget but do not support the $2.98 million internal transfer out by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The fight against
crime and drugs has led to more arrests which is increasing the caseload in the tribal court system. The continuing implementation of the Tribal Law and Order Act
(TLOA) and the recent enactment of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), further strains the capacity of the tribal judicial system which is underfunded, understaffed and ill-equipped to function effectively and in a manner comparable to nonIndian government judicial systems. Tribal courts are at a critical stage in terms
of need.
BACKGROUND:

The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) within the Department of the Interior provides funding to tribal governments to supplement their justice systems including
2 Bartholow, J. 2007. Economic benefit of fertility control in wild horse populations. J. Wildl.
Mgmt. 71(8):28112819.

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courts. Tribal courts play a vital role in tribal self-determination and self-governance as cited in long-standing Federal policy and acts of Congress. Funding levels
from BIA to support tribal justice systems have not met the Federal obligations.
There is a great deal of variation in the types of tribal courts and how they apply
laws. Some tribal courts resemble Western-style courts in that written laws and
court procedures are applied. Others use traditional Native means of resolving disputes, such as peacemaking, elders councils, and sentencing circles. Some tribes
have both types of courts. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) also manages a small
number of C.F.R. (Code of Federal Regulations) courts.
Since 1999, the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the Department of Justice has administered the Tribal Courts Assistance Program, designed to provide funds for
tribes to plan, operate, and enhance tribal judicial systems. They have made attempts to evaluate tribal courts but discovered their means of doing so was insensitive to American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people and unrealistic in the
absence of elements that were key to Indian Country, such as: (1) the importance
of tribal culture and traditions; (2) the inability to apply State and local criminal
justice initiatives to tribal settings; (3) the lack of cooperation from non-tribal entities; and, (4) the lack of available data on tribal justice.
The Independent Court Review Team has had more hands on success in reviewing
tribal court systems than any other entities. For approximately 7 years, the Review
Team travelled throughout Indian Country assessing how tribal courts operate. During this time, the Review Team completed 84 court reviews, and 28 Corrective Actions. There is no other entity with more hands-on experience and knowledge regarding the current status of tribal courts.
JUSTIFICATION FOR REQUEST

1. Hiring and Training of Court Personnel.Tribal courts make do with underpaid staff, under-experienced staff and minimal resources for training. (We
have determined that hiring tribal members limits the inclination of staff to
move away; a poor excuse to underpay staff.);
2. Compliance with the Tribal Law & Order Act of 2010.To provide judges,
prosecutors, public defenders, who are attorneys and who are bared to do enhanced sentencing in tribal courts;
3. Compliance with the 2013 VAWA Act.To provide tribal courts with the ability
to provide non-Indians with all the rights under the U.S. Constitution in domestic violence actions in tribal courts (12 person juries, provide attorneys for
non-Indians, provide attorneys and court personnel in domestic violence cases
as in TLOA, etc.);
4. Salary Increases for Existing Judges and Court Personnel.Salaries should be
comparable to local and State court personnel to keep pace with the non-tribal
judicial systems and be competitive to maintain existing personnel;
5. Tribal Courts Need State-of-the-Art Technology.(Software, computers, phone
systems, tape recording machines.) Many tribes cannot afford to purchase or
upgrade existing court equipment unless they get a grant. This is accompanied
by training expenses and licensing fees which do not last after the grant ends;
6. Security and Security Systems To Protect Court Records and Privacy of Case
Information.Most tribal courts do not even have a full-time bailiff, much less
a state-of-the-art security system that uses locked doors and camera surveillance. This is a tragedy waiting to happen;
7. Tribal Court Code Development.Tribes cannot afford legal consultation. A
small number of tribes hire on-site staff attorneys. These staff attorneys generally become enmeshed in economic development and code development does
not take priority. Tribes make do with under-developed codes. The Adam
Walsh Act created a hardship for tribes who were forced to develop codes, without funding, or have the State assume jurisdiction. (States have never properly
overseen law enforcement in a Tribal jurisdiction.); and
8. Financial Code Development.We have rarely seen tribes with developed financial policies. The process of paying a bond, for example, varies greatly from
tribe to tribe. The usual process of who collects it, where it is collected and how
much it is, is never consistent among tribes.
TRIBAL COURTS

There are many positive aspects about tribal courts. It is clear that tribal courts
and justice systems are vital and important to the communities where they are located. Tribes value and want to be proud of their court systems. Tribes with even
modest resources tend to allocate funding to courts before other costs. After decades
of existence, many tribal courts, despite minimal funding, have achieved a level of

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experience and sophistication approaching, and in some cases surpassing, local nonIndian courts.
Tribal courts, through the Indian Child Welfare Act, have mostly stopped the
wholesale removal of Indian children from their families. Indian and non-Indian
courts have developed formal and informal agreements regarding jurisdiction. Tribal
governments have recognized the benefit of having law-trained judges, without
doing away with judges who have cultural/traditional experience. Tribal court systems have Appellate Courts, jury trials, well-cared-for courthouses (even the poorer
tribes), and tribal bar listings and fees. Perhaps most importantly, tribes recognize
the benefit of an independent judiciary and have taken steps to insulate courts and
judges from political pressure. No longer in Indian country are judges automatically
fired for decisions against the legislature.
Example.At one tribal court 14 jury trials scheduled in 2013 never occurred
due to the lack of sufficient funds to perform the following; the required number
of potential jurors could not be summoned, a jury of six people could not be
seated, and service to potential jurors could not be delivered.
Nationwide, there are 184 tribes with courts that received $23.241 million in Federal funding in 2014. The Review Teams Assessments have indicated that the Bureau of Indian Affairs only funds tribal courts at 26 percent of the funding needed
to operate. Tribes who have economic development generally subsidize their tribal
courts. On the flip side, tribes who cannot afford to assist in the financial operations
of the court are tasked with doing the best they can with what they have even at
the expense of decreasing or eliminating services elsewhere. This while operating
at a disadvantage with already overstrained resources and underserved needs of the
tribal citizens. The assessment suggests that the smaller courts are both the busiest
and most underfunded.
The grant funding in the Department of Justice (DOJ) is intended to be temporary, but instead it is used for permanent needs; such as funding a drug court
clerk who then is used as a court clerk with drug court duties. When the funding
runs out, so does the permanent position. We have witnessed many failed drug
courts, failed court management software projects (due to training costs) and incomplete Code development projects. When the Justice funding runs out, so does the
project.
As a directive from the Office of Management and Budget in fiscal year 2005, our
Reviews specifically examined how tribes were using Federal funding. In the seven
fiscal years through September 31, 2011 there were only two isolated incidents of
a questionable expenditure of Federal funds. It has been speculated that because
of limited resources, tribal courts compromise a persons due process and invoke
speedy trials violations to save money. To the contrary everyone who is processed
through the tribal judicial system is afforded their constitutional civil liberties and
civil rights.
Tribal courts need an immediate, sustained and increased level of funding. There
are strong indications that the courts will put such funding to good use.
Tribal courts have other serious needs. Tribal Appellate Court Judges are mostly
attorneys who dedicate their services for modest fees that barely cover costs for
copying and transcription fees. Tribal courts do offer jury trials. In many courts, one
sustained jury trial will deplete the available budget. The only place to minimize
expenses is to fire staff. Many tribal courts have Defense Advocates. These advocates are generally not law trained and do a good job protecting an individuals
rights (including assuring speedy trial limitations are not violated.) However, this
is a large item in court budgets and if the defense advocate, or prosecutor, should
leave, the replacement process is slow.
This Congress and this administration can do something great. Put your money
where your promises have been and support the Acts you have passed by increasing
funding for tribal courts. Thank You. Independent Review Team: Elbridge Coochise,
Chief Justice Retired; Ralph G. Gonzales, Esq.; Charles D. Robertson, Esq. and
Myrna R. Rivera, Court Reporter.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE INTERSTATE

MINING COMPACT COMMISSION

My name is Gregory E. Conrad and I serve as Executive Director of the Interstate

Mining Compact Commission (IMCC). I appreciate the opportunity to present this
statement to the subcommittee regarding the views of the Compacts 26 member
States on the fiscal year 2015 budget request for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) within the U.S. Department of the Interior. In its
proposed budget, OSM is requesting $53.2 million to fund title V grants to States
and Indian tribes for the implementation of their regulatory programs, a reduction

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of $15.4 million or 22 percent below the fiscal year 2014 enacted level. OSM also
proposes to reduce mandatory spending for the abandoned mine lands (AML) program by $64 million pursuant to a legislative proposal to eliminate all AML funding
for certified States and tribes.
The Compact is comprised of 26 States that together produce some 95 percent of
the Nations coal, as well as important noncoal minerals. The Compacts purposes
are to advance the protection and restoration of land, water and other resources affected by mining through the encouragement of programs in each of the party States
that will achieve comparable results in protecting, conserving and improving the
usefulness of natural resources and to assist in achieving and maintaining an efficient, productive and economically viable mining industry.
OSM has projected an amount of $53.2 million for title V grants to States and
tribes in fiscal year 2015, an amount which is matched by the States each year.
These grants support the implementation of State and tribal regulatory programs
under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA) and as such are
essential to the full and effective operation of those programs. Pursuant to these primacy programs, the States have the most direct and critical responsibilities for conducting regulatory operations to minimize the impact of coal extraction operations
on people and the environment. The States accomplish this through a combination
of permitting, inspection and enforcement duties, designating lands as unsuitable
for mining operations, and ensuring that timely reclamation occurs after mining.
In fiscal year 2014, Congress approved $68.6 million for State title V grants pursuant to the Omnibus Appropriations bill.1 This continued a much-needed trend
whereby the amount appropriated for these regulatory grants aligned with the demonstrated needs of the States and tribes. The States are greatly encouraged by
amounts approved by Congress for title V grant funding over the past several fiscal
years. These grants had been stagnant for over 12 years and the gap between the
States requests and what they received was widening. This debilitating trend was
compounding the problems caused by inflation and uncontrollable costs, thus undermining our efforts to realize needed program improvements and enhancements and
jeopardizing our efforts to minimize the potential adverse impacts of coal extraction
operations on people and the environment.
In its fiscal year 2015 budget, OSM has once again attempted to reverse course
and essentially unravel and undermine the progress made by Congress in supporting State programs with adequate funding. As States prepare their future budgets, we trust that the recent increases approved by Congress will remain the new
base on which we build our programs. Given fiscal constraints on State budgets
from the downturn in the economy, some States have only recently been able to
move beyond hiring and salary freezes and restrictions on equipment and vehicle
purchases, all of which have inhibited States ability to spend all of their Federal
grant money. A clear message from Congress that reliable, consistent funding will
continue into the future will do much to stimulate support for these programs by
State legislatures and budget officers who each year, in the face of difficult fiscal
climates and constraints, are also dealing with the challenge of matching Federal
grant dollars with State funds. Please keep in mind that a 22 percent cut in Federal
funding generally translates to an additional 22 percent cut for overall program
funding for many States, especially those without Federal lands, since these States
can generally only match what they receive in Federal money.
It is important to note that OSM does not disagree with the States demonstrated
need for the requested amount of funding for title V regulatory grants. Instead,
OSMs solution for the drastic cuts comes in the way of an unrealistic assumption
that the States can simply increase user fees in an effort to eliminate a de facto
subsidy of the coal industry. No specifics on how the States are to accomplish this
far reaching proposal are set forth, other than an expectation that they will do so
in the course of a single fiscal year. OSMs proposal is completely out of touch with
the realities associated with establishing or enhancing user fees, especially given
the need for approvals by State legislatures. IMCCs polling of its member States
confirmed that, given the current fiscal and political implications of such an initiative, it will be difficult, if not impossible, for most States to accomplish this feat at
all, let alone in less than 1 year. OSM is well aware of this, and yet has every inten1 In approving this amount for State grant funding in fiscal year 2014, Congress noted that:
The bill provides $122,713,000 for regulation and technology. Within this amount, the bill funds
regulatory grants at $68,590,000, equal to the fiscal year 2012 enacted level. The Committees
find the budget proposal to reduce regulatory grants would undermine the State-based regulatory system. It is imperative that States continue to operate protective regulatory programs
as delegation of authority to the States is the cornerstone of the surface mining regulatory program.

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tion of aggressively moving forward with a proposal that is doomed from its inception. We strongly urge the subcommittee to reject this approach and mandate that
OSM continue to work through the complexities associated with any future user fees
proposal in close cooperation with the States and tribes prior to cutting Federal
funding for State title V grants.2 Some of these efforts have recently begun and may
prove useful.
At the same time that OSM is proposing significant cuts for State programs, the
agency is proposing sizeable increases for its own program operations (almost $4
million) for Federal oversight of State programs, including an increase of 12 fulltime equivalents (FTEs). In making the case for its funding increase, OSMs budget
justification document contains vague references to the need to improve the implementation of existing laws and to strengthen OSMs skills base. More specifically,
OSM states in its budget justification document that with greater technical skills,
OSM anticipates improved evaluation of permit-related actions and resolution of
issues to prevent unanticipated situations that otherwise may occur as operations
progress, thereby improving implementation of existing laws. In our view, this is
code language for enhanced and expanded Federal oversight of State programs and
reflects a move by OSM to exert a more direct role in State programs, especially
regarding permitting decisions, thereby weakening State primacy. However, without
more to justify the need for more oversight and the concomitant increase in funding
for Federal operations related thereto, Congress should reject this request. The overall performance of the States as detailed in OSMs annual State program evaluation
reports demonstrates that the States are implementing their programs effectively
and in accordance with the purposes and objectives of SMCRA.3
In our view, this suggests that OSM is adequately accomplishing its statutory
oversight obligations with current Federal program funding and that any increased
workloads are likely to fall upon the States, which have primary responsibility for
implementing appropriate adjustments to their programs identified during Federal
oversight. In this regard, we note that the Federal courts have made it abundantly
clear that SMCRAs allocation of exclusive jurisdiction to the States was careful
and deliberate and that Congress provided for mutually exclusive regulation by either the Secretary or State, but not both. Bragg v. West Virginia Coal Assn, 248
F. 3d 275, 2934 (4th Cir. 2001), cert. denied, 534 U.S. 1113 (2002). While the
courts have ruled consistently on this matter, the question remains for Congress
and the administration to determine, in light of deficit reduction and spending cuts,
how the limited amount of Federal funding for the regulation of surface coal mining
and reclamation operations under SMCRA will be directedto OSM or the States.
For all the above reasons, we urge Congress to approve not less than $69 million
for State and tribal title V regulatory grants, as fully documented in the States and
tribes estimates for actual program operating costs.4
2 It has taken OSM over 3 years to develop a proposal of its own for cost recovery that will
apply to Federal and Indian lands programs where OSM is the regulatory authority. On March
26 of last year, OSM republished a proposed rule (78 Federal Register 20394) that would adjust
existing permit fees and assess new fees to recover the actual costs for permit review and administration and permit enforcement activities provided to the coal industry. Comments on the
proposal were due on May 28, 2013. OSM has asserted that the rule could serve as a template
for similar efforts by the States (even though, to date, the agency has still not promulgated a
final rule). Regardless of whether OSMs assertion is true, and contrary to OSMs implication
that the States should have already moved forward with similar proposals of their own based
on the fact that OSM has included this suggested approach in its last four proposed budgets,
OSM is well aware of the complexities associated with a proposal of this magnitude for the
States based on extensive information we have provided to the agency. We are happy to share
that information with the subcommittee. It will clearly take more than a single fiscal year for
the States to seriously consider and undertake such an effort. And most importantly, the subcommittee has directed OSM in each of the past 4 fiscal years to discontinue efforts to push
States to raise fees on industry as the bill provides the funds necessary for States to run their
regulatory programs.
3 The Congress agreed with this assessment when it commented as follows on OSMs proposed
increase in fiscal year 2014: The [Omnibus Appropriations] agreement does not provide funds
to expand and enhance Federal oversight activities of State programs. Furthermore, the States
are confounded by OSMs desire to increase its staff by 12 FTEs when it currently has more
than twice that number of unfilled positions in the agency. Is OSM attempting to add 12 new
FTEs, or fill a portion of the vacancies? In either event, the $4 million intended for this purpose
is better spent by the States in their role as the primary enforcement and permitting SMCRA
authority, rather than by OSM oversight to second-guess State decisions.
4 We continue to be concerned about recent OSM initiatives, primarily by policy directive, to
duplicate and/or second-guess State permitting decisions through the reflexive use of Ten-Day
Notices (TDNs) as part of increased Federal oversight or through Federal responses to citizen
complaints. Aside from the fact that these actions undermine the principles of primacy that unContinued

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With regard to funding for State title IV Abandoned Mine Land (AML) program
grants, congressional action in 2006 to reauthorize title IV of SMCRA has significantly changed the method by which State reclamation grants are funded. Beginning with fiscal year 2008, State title IV grants are funded primarily by mandatory
appropriations. As a result, the States should have received a total of $250 million
in fiscal year 2015. Instead, OSM has budgeted an amount of $186 million based
on an ill-conceived proposal to eliminate mandatory AML funding to States and
tribes that have been certified as completing their abandoned coal reclamation programs. This $64 million reduction repudiates the comprehensive restructuring of the
AML program that was passed by Congress in 2006, following over 10 years of congressional debate and hard fought compromise among the affected parties. We urge
the Congress to reject this unjustified, ill-conceived proposal, delete it from the
budget and restore the full mandatory funding amount of $250 million. We also endorse the statement of the National Association of Abandoned Mine Land Programs
(NAAMLP), which goes into greater detail regarding the implications of OSMs legislative proposal for the States and tribes.
We further ask the subcommittee to support funding for OSMs training program,
including moneys for State travel. These programs are central to the effective implementation of State regulatory programs as they provide necessary training and continuing education for State agency personnel. We note that the States provide nearly half of the instructors for OSMs training course and, through IMCC, sponsor and
staff benchmarking workshops on key regulatory program topics. IMCC also urges
the subcommittee to support funding for Technical Innovation and Professional
Services (TIPS), a program that directly benefits the States by providing critical
technical assistance. Finally, we support funding for the Watershed Cooperative
Agreements in the amount of $1.5 million.
With regard to the proposal contained in OSMs budget to establish a hardrock
AML program, the States have consistently advocated for legislation that would
allow them to address historic hardrock AML problem areas, beginning with the inclusion of section 409 of SMCRA in 1977. There is clearly a need to establish both
the funding mechanism and the administrative program to address these legacy
sites, be it through a fee or through a meaningful Good Samaritan program that
provides liability protection for those undertaking this type of work. We believe that
OSM is in the best position to administer a hardrock AML program, given its 35
years of experience in operating the title IV program under SMCRA. Our only concern is that, while on the one hand OSM is advocating for the establishment of a
hardrock AML program, it is also pushing for the elimination of funding for certified
States and tribes to accomplish this very work.
We appreciate the opportunity to submit this statement on the Office of Surface
Minings proposed budget for fiscal year 2015. We would be happy to answer any
questions or provide additional information at your request.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE INTERTRIBAL

TIMBER COUNCIL

SUMMARY

Mr. Chairman, members of the subcommittee, I am Phil Rigdon, president of the

Intertribal Timber Council (ITC) and deputy director of natural resources for the
Yakama Nation. The ITC offers the following recommendations for fiscal year 2015
Indian forestry-related activities in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Department of Interior (DOI) Office of Wildland Fire Management (OWF), and the USDA
Forest Service (USFS):
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

1. Increase BIA forestry by $25 million as a first step to providing the $100 million
needed for funding parity with other Federal forestry programs, as recommended
by the Indian Forest Management Assessment Team (IFMAT) III report.
2. Increase BIA forestry projects by $12.7 million to initiate a BIA Forestry Workforce Development program, as recommended by IFMAT III.
3. Increase BIA Cooperative Landscape Conservation funding to $20 million to support tribal participation.
4. Increase the BIA Endangered Species funding to $10 million.
5. Support the BIA Invasive Species request of $6.7 million.
derscore SMCRA and are therefore likely to have debilitating impacts on the State-Federal partnership envisioned by the act, they also have very direct impacts on limited State and Federal
resources that must be devoted to addressing all TDNs, regardless of their veracity.

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OFFICE OF WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT

6.
7.
8.
9.

Support the Preparedness increase of $37 million.

Increase Fuels Management funding to $206 million.
Support the Disaster Fire Funding legislative proposal.
Support the $30 million Resilient Landscapes initiative.
UNITED STATE FOREST SERVICE

10. Encourage expanded support for the ITC Anchor Forest initiative.
11. Encourage the USFS to make implementation of the Tribal Forest Protection
Act (TFPA) a priority.
INDIAN FOREST MANAGEMENT ASSESSMENT TEAM III

Many of our comments and recommendations reflect the third IFMAT report, the
statutorily required (Public Law 101630, Sec. 312) decadal review and report on
tribal forests and forestry conducted by an independent Indian Forest Management
Assessment Team (IFMAT). Previous IFMAT reviews and reports were done in 1993
and 2003. The 2013 report, IFMAT III, was mailed to this subcommittee about a
month ago. We urge the subcommittee to review the report and consider its findings
and recommendations in your fiscal year 2015 deliberations.
The IFMAT III report examines tribal forests using a FIT framework: Fire, Investment and Transformation:
Fire represents the increasingly large role wildland fire and other threats
present to the health and productivity of tribal forests;
Investment represents the need for Federal funding and trust support to meet
forest-related fiduciary obligations and ensure a sustainable future for Indian
forests; and
Transformation represents the emergence of Indian forestry as a model for
sustainable landscape management.
IFMAT III examines eight specific review areas required by the statute, including
staffing and funding, and also looks at additional issues such as climate change, the
Anchor Forests initiative, and implementation of the TFPA.
IFMAT III found that chronically insufficient funding and worsening staff shortages pose threats to tribal forests and communities from both foregone economic opportunities and resource losses due to wildland fire, insects, disease, and climate
change. Federal trust management funding of Indian forests is still only one-third
of that for National Forests; an additional $100 million is needed to bring Indian
forestry and wildfire management to parity. Staffing shortfalls are jeopardizing the
capacity to care for forest resources; IFMAT III found that 800 additional positions
in a wide variety of skill areas are needed to provide adequate staffing and $12.7
million is needed annually for recruitment, training and retention.
Against this background, the ITC makes the following comments and requests for
fiscal year 2015:
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

1. Increase BIA forestry by $25 million as a first step to provide the $100 million
needed for funding parity with other Federal forestry programs, as recommended
by IFMAT III.
We request that the fiscal year 2015 BIA forestry budget be increased by $25 million, to $70.9 million, to begin to reduce the glaring $100 million funding disparity
with other Federal forestry programs as discussed in the IFMAT III report. Of the
$25 million increase, allocate $20 million to Tribal Priority Allocations (TPA) Forestry to strengthen base BIA and tribal forest staffing and management activities
and $5 million to forestry projects to reduce the Forest Development planting and
thinning backlog that covers one-sixth of the trust forest area. As additional staffing
capacity is developed (see item 2 below), further budget movement toward parity
funding can be accommodated.
2. Increase BIA forestry projects by $12.7 million to initiate a BIA Forestry Workforce Development program, as recommended by IFMAT III.
BIA and tribal forestry are facing a staffing crisis. The IFMAT III report states
800 additional BIA forestry positions are needed, and an increasing number of existing positions are unfilled due to retirements and funding shortfalls. Trained personnel are needed to enable the sustainable trust management of our forests, including the harvest of timber needed to maintain forest health and support economies that provide jobs and income for tribal communities. For example, on the
Yakama Reservation, 33 of the 55 BIA forestry positions have not been filled for a

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long time, despite repeated tribal pleas. Harvest targets sought by the tribe are not
being met, forest health is suffering, and economic opportunities are being lost. To
begin to address this large and growing personnel shortage and its negative consequences on the Federal trust and tribal economies, $12.7 million is needed to start
a program to attract, train and retain forestry staff.
3. Increase BIA Cooperative Landscape Conservation (CLC) funding to $20 million
to develop tribal capacity.
We request that CLC funding be increased by $10 million, with the additional
amount dedicated to supporting sustained tribal technical and administrative engagement in DOIs climate initiatives. Because of dependence on place and natural
resources, tribes are particularly vulnerable to climate change. The BIAs fiscal year
2015 CLC budget of less than $10 million is inadequate to support the needs of the
566 federally-recognized tribes to monitor and address the impacts of climate change
over the long term.
4. Increase BIA Endangered Species funding to $10 million.
ITC requests BIA ESA be funded at $10 million so the myriad listed species
throughout Indian Country nationwide can be better addressed. BIAs $2.7 million
request for ESA is an improvement over past years, but the proposal is just half
of the ESA per-acre funding for BLM and still below the $3 million appropriated
for BIA ESA in fiscal year 2002. A further significant increase in BIA ESA to $10
million is fully warranted.
5. Support the BIA Invasive Species request of $6.7 million.
Invasive species are inflicting increasing damage on tribal trust resources, including tribal forests. The $6.7 million request is needed and welcome to help stem the
invasive species encroachment that is threatening trust resources.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT

6. Support the $37 million Preparedness increase.

The increase will alleviate the penalty BIA and the tribes now bear in absorbing
contract support costs (CSCs) for carrying out Preparedness functions. This is in
line with the policy goal of fully funding CSCs without harming services. The requested increase also strengthens tribal wildfire management capacity and provides
for recruitment and training of future generations of Native American wildland fire
fighters, whose jobs are a source of pride and economic opportunity in tribal communities and provide a national asset in wildland fire fighting.
7. Increase Fuels Management funding to $206 million.
ITC supports fiscal year 2015 Fuels Management funding restored to its fiscal
year 2010 $206 million level. The Departments fuels reduction backlog remains
huge, preventative projects are much more cost effective than suppression, and fuels
funding has never come close to the projected amount needed to reduce risks of
fuels. Within the fiscal year 2015 Fuels Management appropriation, ITC strongly
supports the designation of $10 million for tribal resource management landscape
restoration, to allow tribes to engage in proactive fuels and forest health projects
on or off trust lands to protect tribal trust assets and treaty rights. The ITC wishes
to extend our gratitude to OWF for moving beyond the difficult Hazardous Fuels
Prioritization and Allocation System (HFPAS) fuels fund allocation process, and its
efforts to seek the involvement of tribes in determining how available funding can
best be allocated to protect tribal communities and values.
8. Support the Disaster Fire Funding legislative proposal.
ITC supports the legislative proposal to treat extreme fire costs (above 70 percent
of the 10 year average) as the natural disasters that they are, reducing the consequences of fire costs both on DOIs operations and budgets.
9. Support the $30 million Resilient Landscape initiative.
With the initiative, fuels and health projects can be more broadly applied beyond
the wildland-urban interface (WUI).
UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE

10. Encourage expanded support for the ITC Anchor Forest initiative.
We ask that you support, and encourage continued Forest Service support of, the
ITCs Anchor Forest initiative. The initiative is fostering long-term collaborative active forest management across the landscape to maintain ecological functions and
sustain economically viable infrastructure for harvesting, transportation, and proc-

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essing forest products. Tribes, with long-term commitment to stewardship, can and
must play a key role in fostering Anchor Forests. Currently, the ITC Anchor Forest
initiative involves three study areas in the States of Washington and Idaho (involving Yakama, Colville, and the Spokane and Coeur dAlene Tribes), with
participatory and resource support from the USFS Regional Office. The project is
bringing diverse interests to the table to begin to develop the collaborative process
of working together in common purpose. Now, tribes in the Lakes States, the Midwest and the Southwest are expressing interest in the Anchor Forest concept for
landscape-based forests. We ask the subcommittee to encourage the USFS and other
agencies within the Department of Agriculture, such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Rural Development Administration, to support and participate in Anchor Forests.
11. Encourage the USFS to make implementation of Tribal Forest Protection Act
(TFPA) a priority.
Finally, we ask that you urge the USFS to make reform and implementation of
the TFPA (Public Law 108278) a priority. The TFPA was enacted to enable tribes
to undertake fuels management and forest restoration projects on Forest Service or
BLM lands that pose a fire, disease or other threat to tribal trust forests, reserved
rights and cultural resources. But only a handful of TFPA projects have been implemented in the decade since the authority was enacted. USFS has been painfully
slow in adoption of the recommendations of an ITC review of TFPA implementation,
done in collaboration with the USFS and BIA. An effective TFPA will help restore
the landscape to a healthy and resilient condition. We ask that you urge the Forest
Service to make the TFPA a priority to save landscapes at high risk to climate
change.
INTERTRIBAL TIMBER COUNCIL BACKGROUND

The ITC is a 38-year-old association of some 60 forest owning tribes and Alaska
Native organizations that collectively manage more than 90 percent of the 18 million acres of BIA trust timberland and woodland. These forests cover about one
third of the Indian trust land base and provide thousands of jobs and significant
economic activity in and around Indian Country. Beyond their economic importance,
forests also store and filter the water and purify the air to sustain life itself. They
sustain habitats for the fish and wildlife, produce foods, medicines, fuel, and materials for shelter, transportation, and artistic expression. In short, our forests are
vital to our economies, cultures and spiritual well being.
Mr. Chairman, subcommittee members, we invite you to come visit our reservations and our forests to see what we have done and what we hope to do in the future.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

JAMESTOWN SKLALLAM TRIBE

On behalf of the Jamestown SKlallam Tribe, I respectfully submit these requests

and recommendations for the fiscal year 2015 Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and
Indian Health Service (IHS) budgets to honor the trust responsibility and support
tribal prosperity and well-being. We renew our request that Congress work together
to achieve a balanced approach to the budget which includes raising new revenue
sources and do not rely solely on cuts to discretionary spending. We request the following:
1. Move BIA and IHS contract support costs to mandatory spending.
2. Provide advanced appropriations for the Indian Health Service.
3. Increase Tribal Priority Allocation funding, and provide $15 million for the
Housing Improvement Program within that fund.
4. Provide a $181.2 million increase for Purchased/Referred Care.
The Federal approach to deficit reduction has been significantly unbalanced with
non-defense Federal programs shouldering the fiscal burden of these budget cuts.
Discretionary programs have already experienced $2.5 trillion in spending cuts as
a result of reductions in the fiscal year 2011 Continuing Resolution, the Budget
Control Act, the American Taxpayer Relief Act, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013,
and the Farm Bill. At the same time, revenue has increased by only $778 billion.
Tribes are funded out of the non-defense discretionary budget and have experienced
significant hardship with the imposed budget reductions for tribal programs. Additional budgetary restrictions would devastate our tribal economies impacting not
only our tribal citizens but also the surrounding non-Native communities whom we
employ and provide with much needed services, such as, public safety, education,
health and dental care.

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In addition to the items detailed below, our tribe would like to reiterate that we
are a direct beneficiary of the collective tribal efforts and continuing efforts of the
National Congress of American Indians, the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians,
the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. The tribe supports the requests and recommendations of those
organizations specifically.
1. Ensure that Contract Support Costs are Mandatory Spending.We are pleased
that the administration has sought to fully fund contract support costs (CSC) under
the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA) in fiscal year
2015, and we urge Congress to support that goal. We acknowledge that the administrations request is a direct response to Congress actions with regard to fiscal year
2014 appropriations, which removed historical caps on CSC funding and rejected the
administrations proposalput forward without tribal consultation and vehemently
opposed by tribesto individually cap contract support costs recovery at the contractor level. Contract support costs funds vital administrative functions that allow
us to operate programs that provide critical services to our membersprograms like
our full-service OBGYN facilities in the Jamestown Health Clinic, our comprehensive dental services in our dental clinic, and the many services provided by our
Community Health & Wellness Program. If contract support costs are not fully
funded, our programs and services are directly impacted because we are forced to
divert limited program funding to cover fixed overhead expenses instead. We therefore appreciate Congress support in fiscal year 2014 and hope that it carries
through to fiscal year 2015 and beyond.
However, the CSC funding problem is not yet solved. Full funding for CSC must
not come with a penaltynamely, a reduction in program funding or effective permanent sequestration of Indian program funds. That result would have the same
devastating effect on our service delivery as the failure to fully fund CSC. Yet Congress, in the Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the fiscal year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act, noted that since [contract support costs] fall under
discretionary spending, they have the potential to impact all other programs funded
under the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, including other equally important tribal programs. Without any permanent measure to ensure full funding,
payment of CSC remains subject to agency discretion from year to year, even
though tribes are legally entitled to full payment of CSC under the ISDEAA. Noting
these ongoing conflicts of law, Congress directed the agencies to consult with tribes
on a permanent solution.
In our view, there is a logical permanent solution which Congress is empowered
to implement: CSC should be appropriated as a mandatory entitlement. The Congressional Budget Office defines Entitlement as A legal obligation of the Federal
Government to make payments to a person, group of people, business, unit of government, or similar entity that meets the eligibility criteria set in law and for which
the budget authority is not provided in advance in an appropriation act. Further,
Spending for entitlement programs is controlled through those programs eligibility
criteria and benefit or payment rules. 1 CSC meets every part of this definition except that the budget authority is currently provided and controlled through appropriation actsas if CSC were a discretionary program. Under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, the full payment of CSC is not discretionary, but is a legal obligation of the United States. Indeed, the underlying purpose of the ISDEAAto end Federal domination of Indian programs and allow for
meaningful control by Indian tribes over their own destinies in the face of Federal
bureaucratic resistancewill always be threatened so long as the mechanisms that
allow the statute to function are considered discretionary.
From an appropriations standpoint, the fiscal year 2014 Joint Explanatory Statement recognized that the current fundamental mismatch between the mandatory
nature of CSC and the current appropriation approach leaves both the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations in the untenable position of appropriating
discretionary funds for the payment of any legally obligated contract support costs.
As the Joint Explanatory Statement also noted, Typically obligations of this nature
are addressed through mandatory spending. The obvious solution then is to bring
the appropriations process in line with the statutory requirements and to recognize
CSC for what it is: a mandatory entitlement, not a discretionary program. We therefore strongly urge the Congress to move to appropriate funding for CSC on a mandatory basis.
2. The Need for Indian Health Service Advance Appropriations.The Federal
health services to maintain and improve the health of American Indians and Alaska
1 Congressional Budget Office Glossary, available at http://www.cbo.gov/publication/42904 (updated January 2012).

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Natives are consonant with and required by the Federal Governments historical
and unique legal relationship with, and resulting responsibility to, the American Indian and Alaska Native people. Since fiscal year 1998 there has been only 1 year
(fiscal year 2006) when the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill has been enacted by the beginning of the fiscal year. Even after enactment
of an appropriations bill (or a series of increasingly confusing continuing resolutions), there is an apportionment process involving the Office of Management and
Budget and then a process within the IHS for allocation of funds to the IHS Area
Offices.
Seriously delayed funding causes the IHS and tribal healthcare providers great
challenges in planning and managing care for American Indians and Alaska Natives. It significantly hampers tribal and IHS healthcare providers budgeting, recruitment, retention, provision of services, facility maintenance and construction efforts. Receipt of funds late also severely impacts our tribes ability to invest the
funds and generate interest which can be used to offset the chronic underfunding
of the regions health programs. Providing sufficient, timely, and predictable funding
is needed to ensure the Government meets its obligation to provide healthcare for
Native people. Weand all tribes and tribal organizationsare hampered by the
uncertainty as to whether Congress will provide funding for built-in costs, including
inflation and pay increases, what amount of funding we might receive with regard
to signing outside vendor/and or medical services contracts, ordering supplies, and
making crucial hiring decisions.
Advance Appropriations Explanation.As you know, an advance appropriation is
funding that becomes available 1 year or more after the year of the appropriations
act in which it is contained. For instance, if fiscal year 2016 advance appropriations
for the IHS were included in the fiscal year 2015 Interior, Environment and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, those advance appropriations would not be counted
against the fiscal year 2015 Interior Appropriations Subcommittees funding allocation but rather would be counted against its fiscal year 2016 allocation. It would
also be counted against the ceiling in the fiscal year 2016 Budget Resolution, not
the fiscal year 2015 Budget Resolution.
To begin an advanced appropriations cycle there must be an initial transition appropriation which contains (1) an appropriation for the year in which the bill was
enacted (for instance, fiscal year 2015) and (2) an advance appropriation for the following year (fiscal year 2016). Thereafter, Congress can revert to appropriations
containing only 1 year advance funding. If IHS funding was on an advance appropriations cycle, tribal healthcare providers, as well as the IHS, would know the
funding a year earlier than is currently the case and would not be subject to Continuing Resolutions. However, we note that advance appropriations are subject to
across-the-board reductions.
The Veterans Administration Experience.In fiscal year 2010 the Veterans Administration (VA) medical care programs achieved advance appropriations. This
came after many years of veterans organizations advocating for this change, including enactment of the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act
of 2009 (Public Law 11181) which authorized advance appropriations and specified
which appropriations accounts are to be eligible for advance appropriations. The Act
required the Secretary to include in documents submitted to Congress, in support
of the Presidents detailed budget estimates, the funds necessary for the medical
care accounts of the VA for the fiscal year following the fiscal year for which the
budget is submitted.
The fact that Congress has implemented advance appropriations for the VA medical programs provides a compelling argument for tribes and tribal organizations to
be given equivalent status with regard to IHS funding. Both systems provide direct
medical care and both are the result of Federal policies. Just as the veterans groups
were alarmed at the impact of delayed funding upon the provision of healthcare to
veterans and the ability of the VA to properly plan and manage its resources, tribes
and tribal organizations have those concerns about the IHS health system. Currently there are to bills (H.R. 813/S. 932) seeking to expand VA advance appropriation to all discretionary accounts not just medical. We also note that there is legislation (H.R. 3229 and S. 1570) pending in this Congress that would expand advance
appropriations to the IHS. We thus request this subcommittees active support for
any legislation that may be needed to authorize IHS advance appropriations, to protect such funding from a point of order in the Budget Resolution, and to appropriate
the necessary funds.
3. $15 Million Increase for HIP Program in Tribal Priority Allocation (TPA) Funding in the BIA Budget.Tribal priority allocations fund essential core governmental
services. We use these dollars to provide the most basic needs for our tribal citizens:
food, clothing and shelter and to provide critical services, including, law enforce-

128
ment, education, transportation, natural resources and economic development. Since
1996, tribal government core services are operating with over a 30 percent reduction
in base funds. We urge you to adequately fund TPA to enhance the health and wellbeing of our communities.
Restore Funding to the Housing Improvement Program.The HIP program is an
important component of TPA funding. It serves the neediest populationthose at
125 percent of the Federal income poverty guidelines. The President requests only
$8 million for this fundeven funding from last year, which was a drastic reduction
from the nearly $12 million in fiscal year 2013. This reduction is based on the false
presumption that the program is duplicative of HUD programs. The assumption is
wrong, and we urge you to provide $15 million in funding for this program that provides an essential service to our tribal citizens: safe and sanitary housing.
4. $ 181.2 Million Increase Funding for Purchased/Referred Care (formally called
Contract Health Services).Most IHS and tribally operated direct care facilities do
not provide the required emergency and specialty care services, so tribes are forced
to turn to the private sector to fulfill this critical need. Purchased/Referred Care
funds are used to purchase essential healthcare services, including inpatient and
outpatient care, routine emergency ambulatory care, transportation and medical
support services (like diagnostic imaging, physical therapy, laboratory, nutrition,
and pharmacy services).
Thank you on behalf of the Jamestown SKlallam Tribe.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

JICARILLA APACHE NATION

MARCH 31, 2014.

Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
TY VICENTI,
President.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

MRS. BARBARA KING

Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the subcommittee: My name is Barbara King and I am a resident of Texas, an owner of rural property in Colorado,
and an advocate for land exchange reform. I testified in 2011 before the U.S. House

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Appropriations Subcommittee on Environment, Interior and Related Agencies, and
appreciate your willingness to consider this additional testimony on the same subject. I am convinced of the need for revising BLM land exchange regulations to protect the public, based on what my neighbors and I experienced as participants in
the 2007, Emerald Mountain Land Exchange (EMLEX.) Your committee can prevent
the recklessness by which the land exchange program is being managed by interviewing the officials responsible for overseeing it to assess their actual knowledge
of land exchange regulations and the Land Exchange Handbook policies on public
notification and working with land exchange facilitators (specifically for-profit real
estate brokers.) I believe you will be astounded at what you find, and will see an
immediate need to revise these regulations so they are clear and reasonable.
At the State level, land managers such as Colorados John Beck should be asked
why they admittedly do not follow the BLM Land Exchange Handbook policies,
cavalierly putting your constituents historic land use patterns and land values at
risk. Mr. Beck had told me that the Handbook is only a guide, and no case law enforces it. Obviously, the very wide discretion given to land managers to ignore these
policies can easily lead to poor decisions with enormous consequences. Specifically,
as shown in the EMLEX, BLM does not exercise the Full Disclosure policy whereby
land exchange facilitators must reveal all purchase contracts they hold with prospective owners of the Federal land prior to land appraisals. If BLM does not provide this information to appraisers, as they failed to do in the EMLEX, Federal land
appraisals cannot be guaranteed to meet regulation standards. Why does BLM not
make this a regulation given the reports year after year of the inadequacy of the
appraisal process? Nor, in the EMLEX, were the names of all prospective owners
added to the mailing list, ignoring a Handbook requirement to include everyone expressing an ownership interest in the Federal land. This action is crucial to the public, but irrelevant to and ignored by BLM. Failure to obtain full disclosure, according
to the very critical 2009, Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, BLM and
the Forest Service Have Improved Oversight of the Land Exchange Process, but Additional Actions Are Needed, has predictable results. GAO writes Without consistent application, the agencies fail to obtain critical information and potentially
risk losing the ability to control the exchange process. A big part of the problem
is lack of trained staff. As GAO wrote The agencies cannot ensure that realty staff
develop and maintain necessary skills.
The two problems, inadequate public notification and failure to provide appraisers
with complete information, are serious, but the solutions are so straightforward and
cost-neutral that I believe your subcommittee will support revising land exchange
regulations as you consider funding for the FLPMA this year. Your answers to two
questions should determine whether you are willing to do so. First, should BLM notify rural landowners adjacent to Federal land when BLM plans to dispose of it?
The Department of the Interior (DOI), and most vehemently, the acting Inspector
General, Mary Kendall, says NO! That is a clue there is a big problem with common sense at DOI.
Second, do you believe a Federal land appraisal can be guaranteed to be accurate
if the appraiser is unaware of its intended use by those holding purchase contracts
for it? Of course not! However, DOI says, yes.
I believe that your subcommittee, charged with oversight of the BLM land exchange program, will serve the public well by challenging the Administrations
counterintuitive thinking.
The public needs you to find out why BLM officials do not follow their Handbook
and its checklist of procedures critical to running a program that, if mismanaged,
can literally ruin your constituents livelihoods. Who cant follow a checklist?
Interviewing two current Department of the Interior (DOI) officials who are responsible for oversight within DOI will reveal why these problems persist. Challenging them directly by asking them detailed questions will show you the remarkable lack of competence and interest within the DOI to do any oversight of this program. Since my Congressional representative, John Culberson (RTX) and I began
our inquiries about the program in 2009, DOI employees have revealed a systemic,
evidently coordinated, refusal to examine the problems with the BLM land exchange
program identified in the 2009, GAO report. I was told by BLM Deputy Secretary
Ned Farquhar in 2009 that he had neither the time nor staff to look into the fact
that the Colorado BLM office had not followed its policies regarding public notification or working with facilitators in the EMLEX. Subsequently, he relied on a report
from the Colorado office defending their management of the exchange. No one at
DOI ever challenged its accuracy by examining case file records or documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests which clearly
showed that all BLM officials, including Director Bob Abbey simply repeated numerous demonstrably false statements about the exchange to Mr. Culberson and me. Fi-

130
nally, and shockingly, the acting Inspector General, Mary Kendall, somehow confirmed Mr. Abbys false statements, and refused to offer a shred of support for her
conclusion that BLM had, indeed followed its policies. If Democrats on your subcommittee take an interest in this, it will be an outstanding example of principle
over partisanship. If not, the reverse is apparent.
Why does the land exchange program need your oversight? When Federal officials
make false statements to congressional appropriators who question them, they must
believe you do not have the staff or time to hold them accountable for what is either
gross incompetence or willful disregard for facts in order to protect the administration. Thorough public notification of BLMs actions and obtaining fair value for Federal land are of critical importance to the public, so the regulations and policies addressing those issues should be written clearly for everyone to understand. BLMs
cavalier disregard for your own fundamental property rights will be apparent to
members and staff who talk with administration officials about land exchange regulations and policies. Mr. Farquhar and Ms. Kendall should be asked to explain their
interpretations of and opinions about the following:
1. Public notification regulations and Handbook policies.
2. Regulations and Policies regarding oversight of facilitators: GAO report 09611
made excellent recommendations for improving oversight of facilitators that could
be implemented fairly easily if BLM would simply acknowledge the problem. Unfortunately, DOIs response included in that report, written by Acting Assistant Secretary, Land and Minerals Management, Mr. Ned Farquhar does not even acknowledge the problems with oversight noted in the report, or comment on GAOs suggestions to correct them. In the report, GAO states the need for additional documentation by the National Land Exchange Team that the Full Disclosure provision of the
agreement to initiate (ATI) is indeed exercised in a facilitated land exchange. BLM
still refuses to do so. The influence of lobbyists for facilitators may be the reason
for this because the risk of inaccurate appraisals is clear.
3. Oversight of land exchange and appraisal processes within BLM and DOI: GAO
report 08106 Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act Restrictions and Management Weaknesses Limit Future Sales and Acquisitions and 10259T Challenges to
Implementing the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation Act identify management
weaknesses and the lack of staff. BLM officials reported that they lacked knowledgeable realty staff to conduct land acquisitions, as well as other BLM or department staff to conduct appraisals, surveys, and resource studies. The turnover of
management in the State Office conducting the most exchanges, Colorado, is remarkably high. Colorado has had seven State Directors during the period 20022014
(Wenker, Koza, Wisely, Hunsaker, Barden, Hankins, Welch). The turnover at the
Federal level just with the Obama administration shows the need for clear regulations and policies that these officials and the public can understand. Hopefully, DOI
Secretary Jewell, BLM Director Kornze and Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Schneider will, unlike their predecessors, accept public and congressional scrutiny and make the changes that need to be made. Ironically, it was
Secretary Salazar who stated, in his 2011, Plan for Retrospective Regulatory Review that Through this process, we want to gather the best ideas from the public
on how to fix regulations that need fixing, eliminate those that are no longer needed, and make government work better for the people we serve. Your subcommittee
has the power to take these problems seriously and fix them. Here is a start. Ms.
Kendalls refusal to provide Mr. Culberson with a full report on her appraisal review of one of the EMLEX parcels indicates her profound lack of transparency and
contempt for Congressional scrutiny.
4. Suggested Revisions to land exchange regulations and Handbook
a. Regulations CFR 43 2201. 2 and 2201.71 should be amended such that the
category of those appropriate includes
1. adjacent landowners
2015 Appropriations Bill Language proposed by Representative John
Culberson (RTX): Section 206 of the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1716) is amended by adding at the end the
following new subsection: (j) In the case of any exchange involving public
land or National Forest System land to be carried out (whether directly or
through a third-party) under this Act or other applicable law, the Secretary
concerned shall provide written notice of the proposed land exchange to
each owner of non-Federal land adjoining the parcel of public land or National Forest System land proposed for exchange and each owner of nonFederal land adjoining the non-Federal land proposed to be acquired in the

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exchange. The Secretary shall determine adjoining landowners using the
most-recent available tax records. For purposes of providing notification
under this subsection, adjoining land means land sharing any length of border with the public land, National Forest System land, or non-Federal land
subject to the proposed exchange, including contact solely at a boundary
corner.
2. interested parties defined as (a) parties who requested information about
the exchange directly from BLM (as required by the Handbook) (b) any party
known to the facilitator to have an ownership interest in the BLM land shown
by a contract with the facilitator or a related agreement to purchase all or part
of the newly exchanged BLM property. This information is required to be provided to BLM through the Full Disclosure provision of the ATI.
b. Implement these Specific Directives regarding Land Exchanges based on the
GAO report GAO09611 through revising regulations to require this:
ensure careful and fully documented reviews by National Land Exchange Team
(NLET) that identify key problems and record their resolutions
Clearly define third-party facilitators
Consistently apply disclosure policies to them an, crucially, include documentation of the disclosure in the case file and verification of the disclosure by NLET
c. Revisions to the BLM Land Exchange Handbook Chapter 11E.
Role of Facilitators in Assembling Multiple Parcels or Multiple Ownerships.
BLM should plainly define the meaning of words used in their regulations,
policy and personal communications such as interested party, participant
and client. Exchange facilitators must be required to be aware of all exchange
regulations and policy. BLM realty staff must review all facilitators Employment Agreements to verify that the Scope of Work offered to clients is consistent with exchange policy. BLM should add an additional step to the land
exchange review process, as GAO09611 recommends (p. 42) so that the National Land Exchange Team documents that the Full Disclosure provision was
exercised, shown by BLM realty staff having reviewed all contracts the
facilitator holds. Both the State realty office and the NLET reviews should be
in the exchange case file.
BLM should distribute a Land Exchange Fact Sheet to interested parties
holding a contract or related agreement with the facilitator, clarifying the
roles of BLM and its facilitator and the exchange parameters.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

LEAGUE

OF

AMERICAN ORCHESTRAS

The League of American Orchestras urges the Senate Interior, Environment, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee to approve fiscal year 2015 funding
for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) at a level of $155 million. We ask
Congress to continue supporting the important work of this agency, which increases
public access to the arts, nurtures cultural diversity, promotes the creation of new
artistic works, and cultivates a sense of cultural and historic pride, all while supporting millions of jobs in communities nationwide.
The League of American Orchestras leads, supports, and champions Americas orchestras and the vitality of the music they perform. Its diverse membership of approximately 800 orchestras runs the gamut from world-renowned symphonies to
community groups, from summer festivals to student and youth ensembles. Orchestras unite people through creativity and artistry, fuel local economies and civic vitality, and educate young people and adults. The League remains committed to helping
orchestras engage with their communities, and the NEA plays an invaluable role
through its direct grants, Federal/State partnerships, and research on trends in public participation and workforce development.
The award of a competitive NEA grant is widely considered an affirmation of national artistic significance. The ability to present nationally recognized programs is
highly valued by communities large and small, and being an NEA grant recipient
is critical in securing additional funding for a variety of programming and operations. In fiscal year 2013, the NEAs Grants to Organizations included 100 direct
grants to orchestras in the Art Works and Challenge America categories. In the current fiscal year 2014 period, the following eleven highlighted awards total $200,000
in NEA grants, supporting orchestras that together employ more than 800 musicians and 360 full- and part-time staff.

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NEA FUNDING INCREASES ACCESS FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES

Together with the organizations it supports, the NEA is dedicated to improving

public access to the arts. With a Challenge America grant, the Gulf Coast Symphony
Orchestra produced Something Old, Something New, a classical music concert featuring trombonist Joe Alessi. The project was created to serve a low-income, rural
community. In addition to the public performance, there was also a public dress rehearsal, a master class for a local high school, and free community outreach performances held in Gulfport and Ocean Springs, Mississippi. The public dress rehearsal attracts a full range of local citizensfrom high school and college students
to residents of retirement homes and local veterans. The Gulf Coast Symphony and
its musicians accomplish all of this with the help of just three staff members and
an active board.
Another Challenge America recipient serving many with a modest grant is the
Bismarck-Mandan Symphony Orchestra (BMSO), the only full symphony orchestra
in western and south central North Dakota. With two full-time and two part-time
staff, roughly 75 musicians, and more than 40 volunteers, the BMSO will present
a series of concerts and activities with guest violinist Michael Ludwig in Bismarck,
the orchestras home base, and Mott, a rural community of 732 people. The orchestra and Mr. Ludwig will work with local partners in Mott to present a classroom
program for student musicians at Mott-Regent Junior/Senior High School, a recital
for residents of the Good Samaritan Society-Mott, which provides shelter and supportive services to older persons and others in need, and perform a free evening recital at Motts Playhouse Theater. These activities will benefit a community that
would otherwise need to travel more than 100 miles to Bismarck in order to enjoy
professional music performances.
Orchestras are finding ways to engage underserved communities that are nearby
as well as those many miles away. The Seattle Symphony Orchestra (SSO), which
employs 150 full-time staff including 84 musicians, will utilize its NEA Art Works
grant to help support the New Music Works performance project, which employs
music composition as a tool to increase public participation in the arts and creates
skill development opportunities for youth. The project will feature compositions that
bridge traditional and contemporary cultures. Among these works is a new piece cocreated by northwest Native American youth and artists through the SSOs Cultural
Exchanges, which are hosted at tribal venues on a quarterly basis to foster closer
relationships and collaborative work with the tribes.
NEA GRANTS HELP ORCHESTRAS ENGAGE, EDUCATE, AND EQUIP AMERICAS YOUTH

The experience of live music can bring disparate communities and partners together, united in the purpose of educating and encouraging young people. The
Greensboro Symphonys OrKIDStra program, for example, partners with Guilford
County Head Start to serve preschoolers throughout the Piedmont Triad. Tying together literacy skills with classical music, the symphony provides more than 600
Head Start children with free books related to a specific concert theme. Head Start
educators work with the children, who later see the book brought to life in an interactive concert featuring the symphonys Percussion Ensemble and a professional storyteller. Building upon the great success of last years program, the Greensboro
Symphony, with its 13 full and part-time staff and more than 80 musicians, is expanding its OrKIDStra program this year to include several public performances at
the Greensboro Science Centers new Carolina SciQuarium facility in May 2014.
The Kansas City Symphony, with 80 full-time musicians, 31 full-time staff members, and as many as 200 part-time/seasonal employees, offers more than 170 performances and also education programs that connect with more than 40,000 children
and teachers each year, many of whom are in rural and underserved areas. The
Kansas City Symphonys Festival of Rhythm program featured performances by
percussionist Martin Grubinger playing John Coriglianos percussion concerto Conjurer, and the Festival also included a free community concert of percussion works,
a public lecture by Corigliano, and a master class and pre-concert discussions with
Grubinger, all reaching more than 6,000 people. In addition, nearly 17,000 students
and teachers from 20 communities in northwest Missouri and 21 communities in
northeast Kansas learned about rhythm and percussion at 12 KinderKonzerts and
Link Up performances.
Thanks to an NEA Challenge America grant, the Fort Smith Symphony Orchestra, which employs four full-time staff and 93 per-service professional musicians,
was able to offer for free, an interactive educational program called EARQUAKE!TM.
In partnership with both public and private schools, this award-winning, live concert series reached 3,500 sixth-graders in a five county region in western Arkansas
and eastern Oklahoma, engaging them in a total symphony experience designed to

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encourage music appreciation and future participation in the arts. EARQUAKE!TM
concerts featured exciting music by the full orchestra, complete with video projection, audience participation, and performances by violist Tazonio Anderson. Nearly
one-fourth of the Fort Smith students live in poverty, and participating rural Arkansas and Oklahoma schools have acute economic disadvantages with limited arts education budgets.
The San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra will use its Art Works grant from
the NEA to support the Artistic Development Program. The program complements
the youth orchestras core activity of weekly rehearsals and concert performances by
providing students with coaching, mentorship, and specialized training in chamber
music. Students will receive free tickets to San Francisco Symphony performances
and participate in master classes with guest artists such as composer John Adams,
violinist Joshua Bell, and pianist Garrick Ohlsson. Participants will also rehearse
at least twice a year with San Francisco Symphony Music Director Michael Tilson
Thomas. The San Francisco Symphony currently employs 107 full-time orchestra
members and 123 full-time staff.
NEA FUNDING ENCOURAGES NEW WORKS AND LOCAL ARTISTRY

NEA grants to orchestras help support the creative work of American composers
and musicians. Whether the music is newly composed, inspired by classics, or blends
music from different genres, the artistry supported by the NEA is as diverse as the
communities that surround their grantees. The Utah Symphony Utah Opera, whose
56 full-time and 20 part-time employees and 85 full time musicians help bring
music to 450,000 residents in Utah and the Intermountain region, received an Art
Works grant to support the premiere performance of a percussion concerto by Andrew Norman. Mr. Norman chose the percussion as the solo medium due to its
physicality, which he feels compellingly demonstrates the theatrical aspect of live
orchestral performance. The world premiere performance of his concerto will feature
guest artist Colin Currie in Abravanel Hall, Salt Lake City.
The Portland Symphony Orchestra, led by 82 musicians along with 12 full-time
and 5 part-time staff, received an Art Works grant to support audience engagement
with both traditional and contemporary compositions in celebration of the orchestras 90th anniversary season. The orchestra will perform all nine of Beethovens
symphonies over the next three concert seasons, with the upcoming seasons February concert to feature Beethovens Symphony No. 3 and a Beethoven-inspired
commissioned piece by a young American composer. A national, competitive application process will held to help launch and promote the career of the selected young
American composer, who will also participate in a mini-residency which will involve participating in community events such as education symposiums, master
classes in local schools, and Q&A events for concert audiences.
Also supporting the work of living composers is the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, which will use its Art Works funding to support a residency, commission, and
premiere of a new work by American composer Christopher Theofinidis. In addition
to working with orchestra musicians prior to the premiere, Mr. Theofinidis will also
work with underserved students in central Arkansas and take part in pre-concert
lectures. The orchestra, which employs eleven full-time musicians, eighty part-time
musicians, and twelve full-time staff members, serves over 120,000 Arkansans a
year with live music and is proud to premiere the work of Mr. Theofinidis.
The Chicago Sinfonietta, with its 62 musicians, a staff of 4 full-time and 7 parttime employees, and 30-member board, will use its Art Works grant to present
unique programming that blends musical and cultural genres. The Cross-Cultural
Genre Fusion concert, with related educational activities, is a multicultural exploration of the intersection between symphonic and electronic music and will feature
a Bhangra DJ together with two guest conductorsone Brazilian and one African
American. Each conductor will conduct one half of the concert and will focus on
their individual cultural heritage. Educational activities will include pre-concert discussions and school visits.
Thank you for this opportunity to convey the tremendous value of NEA support
for orchestras and communities across the Nation. These are but a sampling of the
innovative compositions, thoughtful programming for underserved regions and populations, and lifelong learning opportunities orchestras provide in service to adults
and children from all walks of life. The Endowments unique ability to provide a national forum to promote excellence and engagement through high standards for artistic products and the highest expectation of accessibility remains one of the strongest arguments for a Federal role in support of the arts. We urge you to support creativity and access to the arts by approving $155 million in funding for the National
Endowment for the Arts.

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PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

MANIILAQ ASSOCIATION

Summary.The Maniilaq Association is an Alaska Native regional non-profit organization representing twelve tribes in Northwest Alaska. We provide health services through a self-governance agreement with the Indian Health Service (IHS) and
social services through a self-governance agreement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). We make the following recommendations regarding fiscal year 2015 IHS
funding.
Increase funding for the Village Built Clinic leases in Alaska by at leaset $8.5
million
Make full Contract Support Costs funding mandatory spending.
Reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program for Indians
Fund the IHS budget with advanced appropriations.
Provide a $50 million allocation to the IHS from the ACAs mandatory Prevention and Public Health Fund for tribal behavioral health grants.
Improve the safety of Alaska Native communities by affirming tribal jurisdiction.
FUNDING FOR VILLAGE BUILT CLINICS IN ALASKA

Maniilaq urges Congress to provide full funding for Village Built Clinics (VBCs)
in Alaska. VBCs are vital to the provision of basic healthcare in rural Alaska, as
they serve as the clinic space for the Community Health Aide Program (CHAP)
under the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (IHCIA). The CHAP, which IHS is
directed by the IHCIA to carry out, utilizes a network of community health aides
and practitioners to provide primary healthcare services in rural and isolated areas
where access to those services might not otherwise exist.
Despite the statutory requirement in the IHCIA that the IHS carry out the CHAP
in order to ensure access to healthcare in rural Alaska, over the years the IHS has
failed to fund VBC leases anywhere near the level of current need. Instead, the IHS
has insisted that its funding for VBC leases is capped at $3 millionthe amount
appropriated by Congress for VBC leases in 1989. The 1989 appropriation was not
a cap restricting IHS allocation of funds in later years, however, and the IHS has
discretion to fund VBCs from its lump sum appropriation. The failure of the IHS
to allocate funding to VBC leases to meet its statutory obligations under the IHCIA
has forced Maniilaq to divert funding from critical healthcare programs to make up
the difference, meaning that Maniilaq must offer fewer healthcare services to our
communities.
Maniilaq, along with other tribes and tribal organizations in Alaska, has discussed this issue with the IHS on several occasions, and has proposed solutions that
the IHS continues to ignore. Accordingly, Maniilaq has recently sought to restructure funding for its VBC facilities by requesting that the IHS enter into leases for
those facilities under its Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
(ISDEAA) Section 105(l) leasing authority, and that the leases be incorporated into
Maniilaqs ISDEAA funding agreement. Section 105(l) and its implementing regulations at 25 C.F.R. Part 900 require that the Secretary enter into a lease with a tribe
or tribal organization, on a mandatory basis upon the request of the tribe or tribal
organization, for a facility used by the tribe or tribal organization for the administration and delivery of services under an ISDEAA compact. The statute and implementing regulations also require the Secretary to compensate the tribe or tribal organization for certain costs associated with the lease.
The IHS, however, refused the lease proposal, stating that the agency will not
enter into leases with ISDEAA tribal contractors for VBC facilities. IHS also took
the position that even if it were to approve the lease, the Secretary may unilaterally
elect to provide essentially meaningless non-monetary compensation in lieu of the
costs listed in the statute and regulations for a Section 105(l) lease. In response,
and with the support of several other major tribal organizations, Maniilaq filed suit
in Federal District Court early last year asking the court to affirm that the IHS
is required by statute to enter into a Section 105(l) lease and to negotiate monetary
compensation as provided in the implementing regulations.
If Maniilaq prevails, the case could establish legal precedent that will allow tribal
contractors in Alaska to negotiate for full funding for VBCs as part of their funding
agreements under the IHSs ISDEAA leasing authority. Such a victory could address
the issue of IHS recalcitrance that has plagued the VBC program, since full compensation would finally be mandatory. However, support is still needed from Congress to ensure that adequate funding is available for VBC leases regardless of how
the leases are structured. The CHAP in Alaska is critical to the provision of basic
and essential healthcare services in isolated and rural areas, but the program
hinges on the continued availability of properly maintained VBC space for program

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operation. Maniilaq therefore urges Congress to appropriate at least an additional
$8.5 million in dedicated funds to fully fund the VBC leasing program.
MANDATORY FUNDING FOR CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS

We are pleased that Congress chose to fully fund contract support costs (CSC)
under the ISDEAA in fiscal year 2014, and that the administration has supported
that effort in fiscal year 2015. CSC fund vital administrative functions that allow
us to operate programs that provide critical services to our community members. If
contract support costs are not fully funded, however, our programs and services are
adversely affected because we are forced to divert limited program funding to cover
fixed overhead expenses instead. We therefore appreciate Congress support in fiscal
year 2014 and hope that it carries through to fiscal year 2015 and beyond. However,
full funding for CSC must not come with a penaltytribes should not have to see
a reduction in program funding or effective permanent sequestration of Indian program funds. Without any permanent measure to ensure full funding, payment of
CSC remains subject to agency discretion even though tribes are legally entitled
to payment under the ISDEAA. Noting these ongoing conflicts of law, Congress directed the agencies to consult with tribes on a permanent solution.
There is a logical permanent solution Congress can implement: CSC should be appropriated as a mandatory entitlement. Under the ISDEAA, the full payment of
CSC is not discretionary; it is a legal obligation, affirmed by the U.S. Supreme
Court. Yet the budget for CSC is currently funded and controlled through appropriation actsas if it were a discretionary program. Congress, in the Joint Explanatory
Statement for the fiscal year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations, recognized that the
current fundamental mismatch between the mandatory nature of CSC and the current approach leaves the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in the
untenable position of appropriating discretionary funds for the payment of any legally obligated contract support costs. Congress also noted that, Typically obligations of this nature are addressed through mandatory spending. The obvious solution then is to bring the appropriations process in line with the statutory requirements and to recognize CSC for what it is: a mandatory entitlement, not a discretionary program. Maniilaq therefore strongly urges the Congress to appropriate
funding for CSC on a mandatory basis.
REAUTHORIZE THE SPECIAL DIABETES PROGRAM

While the entitlement funding for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians
(SDPI) is not part of the IHS appropriations process, those funds are administered
through the IHS. With the recent enactment (Public Law 11393) of a 1 year extension of the SDPI as part of the Medicare doc fix bill, it is funded through fiscal
year 2015 at $150 million, minus a 2 percent reduction ($3 million) due to the sequestration of non-exempt mandatory programs (Public Law 112240). This funding
level has not increased since 2004. The SDPI has proven highly effective in Indian
Country, and has produced excellent results. For example, in the 4 years preceding
the last report on the SDPI in 2011, the average blood sugar level dropped nearly
a percentage point overall, corresponding to a 40 percent decline in the risk of eye,
kidney, and nerve complications due to diabetes. We ask that you support ongoing
efforts to reauthorize this program for a 5-year period at increased funding levels.
FUND THE IHS THROUGH ADVANCED APPROPRIATIONS

Last year we provided extensive testimony to this subcommittee requesting advanced appropriations for the IHS budget. We refer you to that testimony for a full
description of the benefits of such an approach. In sum, the goal is for the IHS and
tribal healthcare providers to have adequate advance notice of the amount of Federal appropriations to expect and thus not be subjected to the uncertainties of late
funding and short-term Continuing Resolutions. Congress provides advance appropriations for the Veterans Administration medical accounts, and the request is for
parity in the appropriations schedule for the IHS. Legislation to authorize IHS advance appropriations has been introducedH.R. 3229 by Representative Young and
S. 1570 by Senators Murkowski and Begich. We submitted testimony to the Senate
Committee on Indian Affairs April 2, 2014, hearing on S. 1570. We request that
you support such efforts, and work with these sponsors and tribal representatives
to move the IHS to an advanced appropriations framework.

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INCREASE FUNDING FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, SUICIDE PREVENTION, AND ALCOHOL &
SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT

Alaska faces particular hardships in providing for our communities behavioral

and mental health. There is a dire need for more prevention funding for suicide
intervention as well as alcohol and substance abuse prevention, particularly for our
youth. These efforts go hand in hand, as the problems often overlap. Alaska has
twice the national rate of suicide, and ranks second in the Nation in suicide attempts requiring hospitalization. Alaska Native teens commit suicide at a rate nearly 6 times that of non-Native teenagers. The suicide rate among all Alaskans increased by 33 percent between 20052008a period when the national rate remained steady. Compounding and complicating the suicide epidemic is alcohol and
substance abuse, or a mental health disorder. The overwhelming majority of the
people we lose to suicide suffer from diagnosable, treatable mental health or substance abuse problems. However, the waiting list for treatment averages nearly 9
months, and due to lack of funding there is often no place to refer people, particularly young people.
Alcohol and substance abuse contributes to myriad other problems as well, including crime, domestic violence, child abuse or neglect. Oftentimes, tribes in Alaska
have a difficult time working through the State of Alaska to provide these services,
which adds layers of guidelines, regulations, and reduced funding. We have found
that tribes and tribal organizations should receive behavioral funds directly, because
programs that implement traditional cultural values are more successful than those
that dont. Included in the Affordable Care Act is mandatory funding ($17.7 billion
over 10 years) for a Prevention and Public Health (PPH) Fund from which Congress
may allocate funding to various programs. In fiscal year 2012 the administration requested that $50 million of it be allocated to a new tribal behavioral health grant
program; unfortunately Congress did not provide that allocation. We urge that Congress allocate $50 million from the PPH to the IHS in fiscal year 2015 for this purpose and that it be recurring.
SUPPORT TRIBAL JURISDICTION TO PROTECT ALASKA COMMUNITIES

We support the ongoing efforts to amend S. 1474, the Alaska Safe Families and
Villages Act, in a manner that would recognize Alaska tribes jurisdiction to protect
their communities by dealing locally with domestic violence, sexual assault and drug
and alcohol abuse. At the same time, we greatly appreciate the provision that is already in S. 1474 which would repeal section 910 of the Violence Against Women Act
Reauthorization that left Alaska tribes out of the expanded tribal jurisdiction over
domestic violence affirmed in that law. These changes will require additional Bureau of Indian Affairs resources regarding law enforcement and courts. We look forward to continued work with our congressional delegation and others on this legislation of such crucial importance to Alaska Native communities.
Thank you for your consideration of our concerns and requests.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

DR. PETER MEINECK

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee: My name is Peter Meineck and
I am a professor of classics at New York University, the founding director of the
Aquila Theatre Company and a proud member of the Bedford Fire Department in
New York where I serve as a volunteer Firefighter and EMT. I write to testify on
behalf of the National Humanities Alliance and Aquila Theatre in enthusiastic support for the Alliances fiscal year 2015 request of $154.5 million in funding for the
National Endowment for the Humanitieswhich is nothing less than a great American treasure.
I mentioned in my introduction that I am a volunteer Firefighter in Bedford, New
York. My hamlet of Katonah, part of the town of Bedford, includes the home of John
Jay, the author of several of the Federalist Papers, member of the Continental Congress, signatory to the Declaration of Independence and our first Chief Justice. Like
almost all the members of the Continental Congress, Jay received a classical education and could read both Greek and Latin. In fact, Thomas Jefferson was so enthusiastic he exclaimed, I thank on my knees, him who directed my early education, for having put into my possession this rich source of delight; and I would
not exchange it for anything which I could then have acquired, and have not since
acquired. John Jays works and those of his colleagues reflect the profound influence the classical world had on the conception and creation of the United States of
America.

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This is strikingly apparent in the Federalist Papers. Hamilton and Madison, Jays
fellow New York delegates to the Continental Congress, devoted the entirety of Federalist no. 18 to a sophisticated objective appraisal of why the Ancient Greek city
states failed to coalesce into one nation. This became a powerful historical argument
in support of the confederation of the 13 colonies into a Federal United States. They
wrote, Had Greece been united by a stricter confederation, and persevered in her
union, she would never have worn the chains of Macedon; and might have proved
a barrier to the vast projects of Rome. Right from the start, Americans drew inspiration from their knowledge of the classical past.
John Jay well understood that knowledge was essential if the American experiment was to succeed. In a letter to Pennsylvania delegate Benjamin Rush in 1785
he wrote, Knowledge is the soul of the Republic and the only way to diminish the
weak and wicked. Later in 1789, he echoed this theme by writing to Timothy Matlack that Knowledge is essential for the duration of liberty, and in the same year,
he felt confident that the American Revolution would succeed because In my opinion more light and knowledge are diffused through the mass of the people of this
country than any other.
Jay received his classical education at Kings College in New York, renamed as
Columbia University, and I was able to read Jays letters in his own hand because
of a superb digital archive held there. These historic papers are available online for
all and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the agency which
embodies the sentiments of John Jay that Knowledge is the soul of the Republic
and essential for the survival of liberty.
Long before there was the NEH to help scholars undergo important research and
disseminate their knowledge, support documentary film makers and archives, and
fund important public programs in libraries, museums, galleries, VA hospitals and
community centers, the classics provided many early Americans with the historical
exemplars and literary metaphors by which they examined their own lives. Abigail
Adams wrote countless letters from Boston to her husband John, far away in Philadelphia, during the war. She signed them Diana, after the Roman goddess of the
hunt and later Portia, the wife of the Roman republican, Brutus. Adams wrote
back as Lysander, the famous Spartan General who ended the Peloponnesian War.
Abigails passion for the classics was evidently so great that John felt compelled to
write, Amidst your Ardor for Greek and Latin I hope you will not forget your mother Tongue. Read Somewhat in the English Poets every day. . . . You will never be
alone, with a Poet in your Pocket. You will never have an idle Hour. Now, there
are a fair few more Americans than in 1780, and it is the National Endowment for
the Humanities that brings us Poetry in Motion on the subway and places living
poets in communities throughout America, offering access, education, inspiration
and knowledge.
With that in mind, I would like to briefly describe the NEH funded program that
I directed called Ancient Greeks/Modern Lives that used the works of Homer,
Aeschylus Sophocles and Euripides to foster informed public discussions on the veteran in American society. Between 20102013, the program toured to 106 communities in 31 States, staging 244 live events, comprising staged readings and discussions, public lectures, reading groups, film screenings and theatre workshops. We
hired 62 classics professors and sent them out into the field where they worked with
professional actors, librarians, museum curators, performing arts center staff and
members of veteran organizations. 110,865 people attended the live events. This
works out to a cost to the Federal Government of only $7.22 per person, and if we
add the program web sites recorded hits of 678,000, it only comes to around one
dollar per person.
The stated aim of the program was to use ancient dramatic literature to bring
members of the veteran community and the public together around the common
themes found between the ancient literature and the experiences of war and homecoming. We staged these free events in public spaces dedicated to reading, art and
cultureplaces that were right in the heart of the inner city, rural and underserved
communities we visited. Here, Americans had the opportunity to freely exchange
ideas framed by the deeper context of the classical texts.
One program participant, a U.S. Army Ranger sergeant who has served in several
tours of Afghanistan and Iraq, summed up the way in which classical texts can be
a context for modern military experience: With the Ancient Greeks/Modern Lives
project I liked that the experiences were filtered through classical myth. This distance allows both performers and audience members to use their imaginations in
an empathetic way, rather than merely evoking sympathy. The use of myth (or perhaps any fictionalized narrative) also helps free us from anachronistic terms such
as PTSD or psychological wound, or whatever else they want to use to describe
someone who has undergone a significant change due to military service. Classical

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myth places the emphasis back on character and story, and helps reject the laziness
of labels. Arguably, the abstract nature of myth also allows individuals to reflect on
their own experiences with the subject at hand, and to flesh out the experience with
some combination of memory and imagination.
Of course, there are as many responses and experiences as there are veterans but
one veteran of the Vietnam war felt that the program was helping to make Americans literate about war, something he believed was essential in any democracy. It
was always remarkable to see how the classical stories elicited deeply personal and
heartfelt responses. At one event in a military museum in Iowa, a long serving non
commissioned officer of the Iowa National Guard latched on to the tension inherent
in the moment in Book 23 of Homers Odyssey, when the hero is finally reunited
with his wife, Penelope. This Iowan and his wife recognized the intimacy of something simple between them that could suddenly transcend the long separations of
multiple deployments. Like Odysseus himself, who is moved to tears when he hears
tales of the Trojan War sung by a bard, there were many sniffles in the audience
at this beautifully simple and completely human moment that was captured and
written down in a foreign land some 2750 years ago: for the humanities constantly
remind us what it means to be human.
In Mississippi, a leather-clad member of Rolling Thunderthe veteran motorcycle
groupresponded quite differently to the same passage. After hearing the Homeric
simile of how Odysseus felt like a drowning man, he stood up and said I have told
nobody this, not even my wife here, but when I came home from Vietnam I threw
my uniform in the trash at the airport and went home in disguise, just like Odysseus and I too felt like a drowning manall that death I didnt think I could love
any one or be loved by anyone againI felt like I was drowning, until my girlfriend,
my wife here, gave me her hand and rescued this drowning man. How did Homer
know this?
As the program progressed, we met more veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan,
mostly keeping silent at first, perhaps even suspicious, but we noticed the veterans
of the Vietnam War making contact and talking to them after the event. New mutually supportive relationships were formedveterans helping veterans. We also started to encounter female combat veterans, nurses from Vietnam who had been deployed in the field, Army personnel working with front line troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, sometimes telling us about two enemiesthe one they were there to
fight and the enemy withinharassment, sexual assault and rape. The ancient
plays resounded even amongst the most difficult and uncomfortable of topics and
allowed us to talk about them. These classical works became our mirror held up
to nature, advice Hamlet gives the players after he has been moved himself by
watching one of them perform a classical piece about Queen Hecuba at the fall of
Troy.
We met veterans from World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War and those
who served in between, and we learned so much about the meaning of these classic
plays from them. Their insights were often so keen and insightful that many of our
classics scholars came to see aspects of these works in a completely new light. VA
Psychologist Dr. Jonathan Shay in his book, Odysseus in America, wrote that Greek
drama was theatre by combat veterans, performed by combat veterans for an audience made up of combat veteransperhaps this was one reason why these ancient
works resounded.
The NEH has provided us with funds for a new humanities/veterans project called
YouStories: Classics, Conversation, Connection. Here, we take the devices that
worked so well on Ancient Greeks/Modern Lives and are creating a combination of
live events and a new story collecting app, where veterans and the public can
upload their own video stories. These are spoken into a smart phone, tablet or computer after being inspired by the ancient materials included with the app. These stories will then be collected, curated and displayed online and also archived at the
Library of Congress. This program has a special focus on female veterans and we
hope that these ancient plays might inspire, provoke and provide a context for their
storiestheir experiences as Americans serving their country at a time of war.
The aim of my testimony today has been to try to convince you of the continuing
power of the classics in American life and how the National Endowment for the Humanities has allowed a truly national and human program to flourish. Their prestigious award helped create media and institutional interest in the program and attract additional funding from private foundations and individuals. Their selection
process is highly rigorous and the expert advice and tireless help of their program
staff is nothing short of priceless.
I conclude with the words of a great man far more eloquent than I. In his last
speech delivered in Memphis on April 3, 1968the day before my first birthday

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Martin Luther King took us on a monumental and historic flight of fancy telling
us:
I would move on by Greece, and take my mind to Mount Olympus. And
I would see Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Euripides and Aristophanes assembled around the Parthenon as they discussed the great and eternal issues
of reality.
The National Endowment for the Humanities does just thisit enables those discussions of great and eternal issues of reality and via its excellent public programming sends them out across the Nation helping to empower our democracy with that
most valuable of human resourcesknowledge.
Thank you very much.
THE NATIONAL HUMANITIES ALLIANCE

Founded in 1981, the National Humanities Alliance advances national humanities

policy in the areas of research, preservation, public programming, and teaching.
More than one hundred organizations are members of NHA, including scholarly associations, humanities research centers, colleges, universities, and organizations of
museums, libraries, historical societies, humanities councils, and higher education
institutions.
THE AQUILA THEATRE

Founded in 1991, Aquila Theatres mission is to bring the greatest theatrical

works to the greatest number. To this end Aquila presents a regular season of plays
in New York, at international festivals, and tours to approximately seventy American towns and cities each year.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

METROPOLITAN WATER DISTRICT

CALIFORNIA

OF

SOUTHERN

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, and members of the subcommittee:

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan) encourages
the subcommittees support for the U.S. Bureau of Land Managements (BLM) Subactivity: Soil, Water, and Air Management. The BLM Budget requests $45.352 million for this Subactivity. This Subactivity includes Colorado River Salinity Control
as a primary focus area. For fiscal year 2015, Federal funding of $5.2 million for
general water quality improvement efforts within the Colorado River Basin and an
additional $1.5 million for salinity specific projects is needed in this primary focus
area to prevent further degradation of Colorado River water quality and increased
downstream economic damages.
The concentrations of salts in the Colorado River cause approximately $300 million in damages to water users each year. While this figure is significant, had it
not been for the efforts of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Program (Salinity Control Program), salinity concentrations of Colorado River water today would
have been about 90 milligrams per liter (mg/L) higher, which has avoided additional
damages of approximately $200 million per year.
Metropolitan is the regional water supplier for most of urban southern California,
providing supplemental water to retail agencies that serve over 18 million people.
Water imported via the Colorado River Aqueduct has the highest level of salinity
of all of Metropolitans sources of supply, averaging around 630 mg/L since 1976,
which leads to economic damages. For example, damages occur from:
A reduction in the yield of salt sensitive crops and increased water use for
leaching in the agricultural sector;
A reduction in the useful life of galvanized water pipe systems, water heaters,
faucets, garbage disposals, clothes washers, and dishwashers, and increased use
of bottled water and water softeners in the household sector;
An increase in the cost of cooling operations, and the cost of water softening,
and a decrease in equipment service life in the commercial sector;
An increase in the use of water and the cost of water treatment, and an increase in sewer fees in the industrial sector;
A decrease in the life of treatment facilities and pipelines in the utility sector;
Difficulty in meeting wastewater discharge requirements to comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit terms and conditions,
and an increase in desalination and brine disposal costs due to accumulation
of salts in groundwater basins, and fewer opportunities for recycling due to
groundwater quality deterioration; and

140
Increased cost of desalination and brine disposal for recycled water in the municipal sector.
Concern over salinity levels in the Colorado River has existed for many years. To
deal with the concern, the International Boundary and Water Commission signed
Minute No. 242, Permanent and Definitive Solution to the International Problem of
the Salinity of the Colorado River in 1973, and the President signed into law the
Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act in 1974 (Act). High total dissolved solids
in the Colorado River as it enters Mexico and the concerns of the seven Colorado
River Basin States regarding the quality of Colorado River water in the United
States drove these initial actions. To foster interstate cooperation and coordinate the
Colorado River Basin States efforts on salinity control, the seven Basin States
formed the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum.
The salts in the Colorado River system are indigenous and pervasive, mostly resulting from saline sediments in the Basin that were deposited in prehistoric marine
environments. They are easily eroded, dissolved, and transported into the river system, and enter the River through both natural and anthropogenic sources.
The Salinity Control Program reduces salinity by preventing salts from dissolving
and mixing with the Rivers flow. Irrigation improvements (sprinklers, gated pipe,
lined ditches) and vegetation management reduce the amount of salt transported to
the Colorado River. Point sources such as saline springs are also controlled.
The Salinity Control Program, as set forth in the Act, benefits the Upper Colorado
River Basin water users through more efficient water management, increased crop
production, benefits to local economies through construction contracts, and through
environmental enhancements. The Salinity Control Program benefits Lower Basin
water users, hundreds of miles downstream from salt sources in the Upper Basin,
through reduced salinity concentration of Colorado River water. Californias Colorado River water users are presently suffering economic damages in the hundreds
of millions of dollars per year due to the Rivers salinity.
The Act provides that the Secretary of the Interior shall develop a comprehensive
program for minimizing salt contributions to the Colorado River from lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management. BLM is the largest landowner in the
Colorado River Basin. Due to geological conditions, much of the lands that are controlled and managed by the BLM are heavily laden with salt. Past management
practices have led to human-induced and accelerated erosion processes from which
soil and rocks, heavily laden with salt have been deposited in various stream beds
or flood plains. As a result, salts are dissolved into the Colorado River system causing water quality problems downstream.
Congress has charged Federal agencies, including the BLM, to proceed with programs to control the salinity of the Colorado River. BLMs rangeland improvement
programs can lead to some of the most cost-effective salinity control measures available. These measures significantly complement programs and activities being considered for implementation by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation through its Basinwide Program and by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through its on-farm Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
Over the past years, the Salinity Control Program has proven to be a very cost
effective approach to help mitigate the impacts of increased salinity in the Colorado
River. Continued Federal funding of this important Basin-wide program is essential.
BLM proposes a 20 percent increase in Colorado River Salinity Control funding
in the budget request over the 2014 level. Metropolitan encourages the subcommittees support for sufficient funding in the Subactivity: Soil, Water, and Air Management to allow for expenditure of $5.2 million for general water quality improvement
efforts in the Colorado River Basin and an additional $1.5 million for salinity specific projects in 2015. These amounts are needed to prevent further degradation of
the quality of the Colorado River and increased downstream economic damages.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
PROGRAMS

OF

ABANDONED MINE LAND

My name is Bruce Stover and I serve as the Director of the Inactive Mine Reclamation Program within the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. I am submitting this statement on behalf of the National Association of Abandoned Mine
Land Programs (NAAMLP) for which I currently serve as president. The NAAMLP
represents 31 States and tribes with federally approved abandoned mine land reclamation (AML) programs authorized under title IV of the Surface Mining Control
and Reclamation Act (SMCRA). Title IV of SMCRA was amended in 2006 and significantly changed how State and tribal AML grants are funded. These grants are
still based on receipts from a fee on coal production, but beginning in fiscal year

141
2008, the grants are funded primarily by mandatory appropriations. As a result, the
States and tribes should receive $250 million in fiscal year 2015. In its fiscal year
2015 proposed budget, the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) is requesting $186 million for State and tribal AML grants, a reduction of $64 million. OSMs budget also
includes three legislative proposals, the first of which would eliminate funding to
States and tribes that have certified completion of their highest priority abandoned coal reclamation sites; the second of which would return the AML reclamation fee paid by coal operators to pre-2006 levels; and the third of which would establish a hardrock AML fee and accompanying program.
Over the past 35 years, the accomplishments of the States and tribes under the
AML program has resulted in tens of thousands of acres of abandoned mine lands
having been reclaimed, thousands of mine openings having been closed, and safeguards for people, property and the environment having been put in place. Be assured that States and tribes continue to be committed to address the unabated hazards at both coal and noncoal abandoned mines. We are united in achieving the
goals and objectives as set forth by Congress when SMCRA was first enactedincluding protecting public health and safety, enhancing the environment, providing
employment, and adding to the economies of communities impacted by past coal and
noncoal mining. In this regard, a newly updated Safeguarding, Reclaiming, Restoring accomplishments report prepared by State and tribal administrators of AML
programs under SMCRA is available at http://naamlp.net/documents/, which provides several on-the-ground examples of the type of work that is being done around
the country.
When passed in 1977, SMCRA set national regulatory and reclamation standards
for coal mining. The act also established a Reclamation Trust Fund to work towards
eliminating the innumerable health, safety and environmental problems that existed
throughout the Nation from mines that were abandoned prior to the act. The Fund
generates revenue through a fee on current coal production. This fee is collected by
OSM and distributed to States and tribes that have federally approved regulatory
and AML programs. The promise Congress made in 1977, and with every subsequent amendment to the act, was that, at a minimum, half the money generated
from fees collected by OSM on coal mined within the boundaries of a State or tribe,
referred to as State Share, would be returned for the uses described in title IV
of the act if the State or tribe assumed responsibility for regulating active coal mining operations pursuant to title V of SMCRA. The 2006 amendments clarified the
scope of what the State Share funds could be used for and reaffirmed the promise
made by Congress in 1977.
If a State or tribe was successful in completing reclamation of abandoned coal
mines and was able to certify under section 411 of SMCRA,1 then the State share
funds could be used to address a myriad of other abandoned mine issues as authorized by SMCRA and as further defined under each States or tribes Abandoned
Mine Reclamation Plan, each of which is approved by OSM. Like all abandoned
mine reclamation, the work of certified States and tribes eliminates health and safety problems, cleans up the environment, and creates jobs in rural areas impacted
by mining. In this regard, the certified States and tribes have been good stewards
of the AML funds they receive, especially with regard to addressing dangerous
noncoal mines.
The elimination of funding for certified State and tribal AML grants not only
breaks the promise of State and tribal share funding, but upsets the balance and
compromise that was achieved in the comprehensive restructuring of SMCRA accomplished by the 2006 amendments following more than 10 years of discussion and
negotiation by all affected parties. The funding reduction is inconsistent with the
administrations stated goals regarding jobs and environmental protection. We
therefore respectively ask the subcommittee to support continued funding for certified States and tribes at the statutorily authorized levels, and turn back any efforts by OSM to amend SMCRA in this regard.2
1 While a certified State or tribe confirms at the time of certification that it has completed
all of the coal sites on its current inventory, the certification contemplates that new, formerly
unidentified high priority coal AML sites may occur in the future and the State/tribe commits
to addressing these sites immediately. All AML States and tribes, including those that are certified, have identified additional previously unknown high priority coal sites as a result of ongoing field investigations, new information and features that have been expressed to the surface.
2 In this regard, we should note that funding to certified States and tribes was already capped
at $15 million annually pursuant to an amendment to SMCRA as part of the Moving Ahead
for Progress in the 21st Century Act (Public Law 11214) in 2012. Furthermore, on October 2,
2013, SMCRA was amended once again to increase the annual distribution amount for each cerContinued

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Over the course of the past few years, State and tribal AML program have seen
heightened concern by some in Washington that the States and tribes are not
spending the increased AML grant moneys that they have received under the 2006
amendments in a more expeditious manner, thus resulting in what the administration has characterized as unacceptable levels of undelivered orders. There seems
to be a fundamental disconnect between the way the States and tribes are required
to administer, manage, and record the dispersal of their AML grant funds and the
way Federal agencies like the Office of Surface Mining (OSM) report the usage of
grant funds.
From the perspective of OSM, there appears to be a substantial balance of undelivered orders, money that has been allotted by the Federal program but has not
yet been spent by the State or tribe (i.e. withdrawn from Treasury). In fact, this
is a mischaracterization of the current status of these undelivered AML moneys.
As the following table demonstrates (see the figure on the next page), the vast majority of the allotted AML grant fund money is already committed to reclamation
projects at various stages. The States and tribes define their use of the term committed funds as those which have been exclusively applied to or reserved for a specific project or purpose, and thus are unavailable for any other purpose. This is consistent with the regulations which define expended as moneys have been obligated, encumbered, or committed by contract . . . . It is therefore more appropriate to view grants in terms of committed funds rather than undelivered orders,
with regard to accurate tracking of grant distribution.

tified State and tribe to $28 million in fiscal year 2014 and $75 million in fiscal year 2015 (Helium Stewardship Act of 2013, Public Law 11340, section 10(d)).

143

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A second dimension to the disconnect between how the States and tribes track
grant expenditures and how OSM accounts for these funds is the amount of time
and the number of regulatory obligations required to administer the AML contracting process in a responsible manner. A typical AML site requires a long and
stringent process related to design, engagement of local citizens and leaders, interagency governmental review and coordination; bidding and contracting; and of
course construction on the siteall of which must take place before the funds are
drawn down, and are therefore finally considered spent by OSM.
Further complicating the matter from the State/tribal perspective is the fact that
the 2006 increases in mandatory funding required an increase in the staff and other
administrative resources required to continue administering the program at the
same level of efficiency and effectiveness. State and tribal AML programs have
made these adjustments in a prudent manner over the last 5 years of funding expansion, and though there may have been some apparent initial lag, the programs
have in fact maintained their ability to efficiently and responsibly commit program
funding. It should also be kept in mind that AML administrators utilize a complex
system for prioritizing AML sites in order to meet the mandates of the law and ensure that the grant funds are spent in the most effective and productive manner
possible. Any analysis of AML grant expenditures must therefore be balanced
against appropriate program management and the responsible improvement of the
safety and health of our citizens and the environment, as set forth in SMCRA. We
welcome the opportunity to brief your subcommittee in more detail regarding this
issue should you so desire.
One of the more effective mechanisms for accomplishing AML restoration work is
through leveraging or matching other grant programs, such as the Environmental
Protection Agencys (EPAs) 319 program. In fiscal year 2014, language was included
in OSMs appropriation that encouraged the use of these types of matching funds,
particularly for the purpose of environmental restoration related to treatment or
abatement of acid mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned mines. This is an ongoing,
and often expensive, problem, especially in Appalachia. NAAMLP therefore requests
the subcommittee to once again include language in the fiscal year 2015 appropriations bill that would allow the use of AML funds for any non-Federal cost share required by the Federal Government for AMD abatement.
We also urge the subcommittee to support funding for OSMs training program
and Technical Innovation and Professional Services (TIPS), including moneys for
State/tribal travel. These programs are central to the effective implementation of
State and tribal AML programs as they provide necessary training and continuing
education for State/tribal agency personnel, as well as critical technical assistance.
These programs saw drastic cuts as a result of sequestration and we are hopeful
that Congress will restore the necessary funding for these critical programs in the
fiscal year 2015 appropriation. Finally, we support funding for the Watershed Cooperative Agreements in the amount of $1.5 million because it facilitates and enhances
State and local partnerships by providing direct financial assistance to watershed
organizations for acid mine drainage remediation.
With regard to the proposal contained in OSMs budget to establish a hardrock
AML program, the States and tribes have consistently advocated for legislation that
would allow us to address historic hardrock AML problem areas, beginning with the
inclusion of section 409 of SMCRA in 1977. There is clearly a need to establish both
the funding mechanism and the administrative program to address these legacy
sites. We believe that OSM is in the best position to administer this program, given
its 35 years of experience in operating the title IV program under SMCRA. Our only
concern is that, while on the one hand OSM is advocating for the establishment of
a hardrock AML program, it is also pushing for the elimination of funding for certified States and tribes to accomplish this very work. Granted, OSMs position is
based on its belief that SMCRA funding should be restricted to high priority coal
problems only. However, Congress clearly felt differently from the outset of
SMCRAs formation and, while there have been many recent opportunities to adjust
its views and amend SMCRA accordingly, Congress has chosen not to do so. To the
contrary, Congress has adopted legislation that would clarify the use of SMCRA
AML funds to address noncoal problems. Nonetheless, we would welcome an opportunity to work closely with OSM in examining the potential for a hardrock AML
program, wherever it may reside and however it may be constituted.
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this statement regarding OSMs proposed budget for fiscal year 2015. We would be happy to answer any questions you
may have or provide additional information.

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PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

OF

CLEAN AIR AGENCIES

On behalf of the National Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA), thank you
for this opportunity to provide testimony on the fiscal year 2015 budget for the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), particularly grants to State and local air
pollution control agencies under Sections 103 and 105 of the Clean Air Act, which
are part of the State and Tribal Assistance Grant (STAG) program. Specifically,
NACAA recommends that: (1) grants to State and local air quality agencies be increased by $35 million above the Presidents fiscal year 2015 request, raising the
total to $278.2 million; (2) State and local air pollution control agencies be provided
with the flexibility to determine how best to use any additional resources; and (3)
grant funds for fine particulate matter monitoring remain under Section 103 authority, rather than being shifted to Section 105 authority, as EPA is proposing.
NACAAs recommendations will be explained more fully in this testimony.
NACAA is a national, non-partisan, non-profit association of air pollution control
agencies in 42 States, the District of Columbia, four territories and 116 metropolitan
areas. The members of NACAA have the primary responsibility under the Clean Air
Act for implementing the Nations clean air program. The air quality professionals
in the member agencies have vast experience dedicated to improving air quality in
the United States. These observations and recommendations are based upon that
experience. The views expressed in this document do not necessarily represent the
positions of every State and local air pollution control agency in the country.
1. NACAA RECOMMENDS A $35-MILLION INCREASE ABOVE THE PRESIDENTS REQUEST

The Presidents budget request for fiscal year 2015 proposes to increase Federal
funding for State and local air quality grants by $15 million over fiscal year 2014
levels (for a total of $243.2 million). Within the request, there is a proposed increase
of $24.3 million for implementing greenhouse gas (GHG) activities. While NACAA
supports additional funding for new GHG activities that will be required of State
and local air agencies, the members are disappointed that part of this increase
would be obtained by shiftingessentially cutting$9 million from the core programs of State and local air pollution control agencies, which are the foundation of
their clean air implementation efforts. NACAA is gratified that the budget request
recognizes the important work of State and local agencies to protect public health;
however, a net increase of $15 million above fiscal year 2014 levels is not nearly
enough. Accordingly, NACAA requests an increase of $50 million above the amount
appropriated in fiscal year 2014or $35 million above the Presidents fiscal year
2015 requestfor State and local air agencies to carry out their responsibilities.
State and Local Air Quality Agencies Face Many Challenges
Section 101(a)(3) of the Clean Air Act finds that air pollution control is the primary responsibility of States and local governments. Accordingly, these agencies
are continuously required to implement numerous, extremely important programmatic responsibilities to obtain and maintain healthful air quality for this
country. These include not only new programs, but also ongoing activities that constitute the core of their clean air efforts, that is, the day-to-day responsibilities
that are the foundation of their programs.
One new initiative facing State and local air agencies, for which EPA is proposing
increased funds, is the implementation of regulations to address greenhouse gases
under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act. State and local agencies will be required
to lay the groundwork to develop approvable State plans to meet Section 111(d)
emission guidelines for reducing carbon dioxide. Additionally, State and local agencies will need funds for the collection, review and use of GHG emission data, as well
as to support State and local permitting activities for new and existing sources of
GHG emissions that trigger permitting requirements as established in the GHG
Tailoring Rule.
In addition to these new efforts, State and local air agencies must also continue
their ongoing activities and core programs. These are the foundation of their clean
air implementation efforts. For example, among the many tasks facing air quality
agencies are those associated with the implementation of (1) the health-based National Ambient Air Quality Standards, including particulate matter, ozone, sulfur
dioxide, lead and carbon monoxide; (2) air toxics rules; (3) motor vehicle and fuels
programs; and (4) permitting programs, including for minor sources.
For both the new activities and the ongoing programs, State and local air agencies
must carry out a variety of resource- and labor-intensive activities. These include,
among others, developing plans, including State Implementation Plans (SIPs); compiling comprehensive emission inventories; carrying out complex modeling; analyzing extensive data; expanding and operating monitoring networks; adopting and

146
enforcing regulations; addressing complicated transport issues; and informing and
involving the public in air quality decisions and issues.
State and Local Air Agencies Have Long Been Underfunded
State and local air quality agencies have struggled with insufficient resources for
many years. A study NACAA conducted several years ago revealed an annual shortfall of $550 million in Federal grants for State and local air programs.1 The adverse
economic situation at the State and local levels strains already overburdened budgets and causes air agencies to make painful choices to cut air pollution programs
that are important for public health and/or eliminate staff. Due to these economic
hardships, States and localities increasingly rely on Federal contributions.
Section 105 of the Clean Air Act authorizes the Federal Government to provide
grants for up to 60 percent of the cost of State and local air programs, while States
and localities must provide a 40-percent match. In reality, State and local air agencies provide over three-fourths of their budgets (not including permit fees under the
Federal title V program), while Federal grants constitute only one quarter. State
and local agencies are certainly providing more than their fair share of the resources necessary, as the following table demonstrates:

In addition to this inequity, the purchasing power of Federal grants has decreased
due to inflation. In fact, between fiscal year 2000 and 2014, purchasing power has
decreased by nearly 16 percent. All this has taken place while State and local responsibilities have expanded each year.
While the current economic climate does not allow for full Federal funding of all
the necessary air programs, NACAA hopes that Congress will recognize the critical
importance of public health and air quality and provide much-needed increases to
these important programs.
Our Air Pollution Problem Has Not Been Solved
Federal, State and local efforts to implement the Clean Air Act have been hugely
successful in providing significant health and welfare benefits throughout most
areas of the country. Yet, notwithstanding this progress, much remains to be done.
According to EPA,
[S]ince passage of the Clean Air Act Amendments in 1990, nationwide air
quality has improved significantly. Levels of those pollutants linked to the
greatest health impacts continue to decline. From 2003 to 2012, populationweighted ambient concentrations of fine particulate matter and ozone have
decreased 26 percent and 13 percent, respectively. Even with this progress,
in 2012 approximately 45 percent of the U.S. population lived in counties
with air that did not meet health-based standards for at least one pollutant.2
With respect to hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), Federal rules, implemented by
State and local air pollution control agencies, are estimated to reduce HAP emissions by approximately 1.5 million tons per year.3 However, in spite of this progress,
EPAs latest HAP data showed that the entire population of the United States had
1 Investing in Clean Air and Public Health: A Needs Survey of State and Local Air Pollution
Control Agencies, (April 2009), NACAA, www.4cleanair.org/Documents/reportneedssurvey
042709.pdf.
2 Fiscal year 2015 EPA Budget in Brief (March 2014), page 13.
3 www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/allabout.html.

147
an increased cancer risk of over 10 in one million (one in one million is generally
considered acceptable) in 2005, due to exposure to a variety of HAPs included in
EPAs analysis.4
The sad fact is more people die or get sick from air pollution than from almost
any other problem under this subcommittees jurisdiction. Tens of thousands of people die prematurely each year 5 and many others suffer serious health problems as
a result of exposure to air pollution. According to EPA, [l]ong-term exposure to elevated levels of certain air pollutants has been associated with increased risk of cancer, premature mortality, and damage to the immune, neurological, reproductive,
cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. 6 Additionally, air pollution exposure is associated with adverse effects on learning, memory, IQ and behavior.
2. NACAA RECOMMENDS FLEXIBILITY IN THE USE OF GRANT INCREASES

While NACAA is pleased that the budget request includes increased grant funding
for climate-related responsibilities facing State and local air agencies, some of it
would come at the expense of State and local core programs, which are essential
to their efforts. NACAA strongly believes that significant increases are required for
both. Rather than target specific amounts for climate or other air programs, NACAA
recommends that State and local air agencies be given the flexibility to use any additional grants for whatever efforts are of the highest priority to them, whether they
are climate-related or other clean air activities, including core programs.
3. NACAA RECOMMENDS THAT AUTHORITY FOR MONITORING GRANTS REMAIN UNDER
SECTION 103

EPA has once again proposed to begin shifting funds for fine particulate matter
(PM2.5) monitoring from Section 103 authority, where no match is needed, to Section 105, which would require additional matching funds. In the past, Congress responded favorably to requests to keep these funds under Section 103 authority,
which is very much appreciated. NACAA is making the same request for fiscal year
2015. For individual agencies that have concerns about the matching requirements,
this will ensure that they do not have to refuse these critically needed monitoring
funds simply because they do not have the resources to provide the required match.
NACAA recommends that Congress call for these grants to be provided under Section 103 authority.
CONCLUSION

While NACAA appreciates the proposed increase to State and local air grants contained in the Presidents fiscal year 2015 budget, it is insufficient for the State and
local air agencies that are being called upon to take on significant new responsibilities and continue their current activities and it does not provide sufficient flexibility
on how the funds are spent. Accordingly, NACAA recommends that Congress provide an increase of $35 million above the Presidents request for fiscal year 2015
for grants to State and local air agencies under Sections 103 and 105 of the Clean
Air Act, for a total of $278.2 million, and that State and local agencies be given the
flexibility to use any additional funds for the highest clean air priorities in their
areas. Additionally, NACAA recommends that grant funds for fine particulate matter monitoring remain under Section 103 authority, rather than being shifted to Section 105 authority, as EPA is proposing.
Thank you for this opportunity to submit testimony on this important issue and
for considering the funding needs of State and local air quality programs.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

OF

STATE ENERGY OFFICIALS

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski and members of the subcommittee,

I am David Terry, Executive Director of the National Association of State Energy
Officials (NASEO). NASEO represents the 56 energy offices in the States, territories
and the District of Columbia. NASEO is submitting this testimony in support of
funding for the ENERGY STAR program (within the Climate Protection Division of
the Office of Air and Radiation) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
NASEO supports funding of at least $55 million, including specific report language
directing that the funds be utilized only for the ENERGY STAR program. The EN4 National Air Toxics Assessment for 2005Fact Sheet, http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/nata2005/
05pdf/sumlresults.pdf.
5 http://epa.gov/ncer/science/pm/.
6 Draft fiscal year 20142018 EPA Strategic Plan (November 19, 2013), page 8.

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ERGY STAR program is successful, voluntary and cost-effective. With increasing
electricity prices and volatile natural gas markets, ENERGY STAR can help consumers and businesses control expenditures over the long term. The program is
strongly supported by product manufacturers, and ENERGY STAR leverages the
States energy efficiency actions.
The ENERGY STAR program is focused on voluntary efforts that reduce the use
of energy, promotes energy efficiency and renewable energy, and works with States,
local governments and business to achieve these goals in a cooperative, public-private manner. NASEO has worked very closely with EPA and over 40 States are ENERGY STAR Partners. With very limited funding, EPAs ENERGY STAR program
works closely with the State energy offices to give consumers and businesses the opportunity to make better energy decisions, and catalyzes product efficiency improvements by manufacturers without regulation or mandates.
ENERGY STAR focuses on energy efficient products as well as buildings. In 2013,
nearly 300 million ENERGY STAR products were purchased across more than 70
product categories. The ENERGY STAR label is recognized across the United
States. It makes the work of the State energy offices much easier, by working with
the public on easily recognized products, services and targets. In order to obtain the
ENERGY STAR label a product has to meet established guidelines. ENERGY
STARs voluntary partnership programs include ENERGY STAR Buildings, ENERGY STAR Homes, ENERGY STAR Small Business, and ENERGY STAR Labeled
Products. The program operates by encouraging consumers and working closely with
State and local governments to purchase these products and services. Marketplace
barriers are also eradicated through education. State energy offices are working
with EPA to promote ENERGY STAR products, ENERGY STAR for new construction, ENERGY STAR for public housing, etc. In Alaska, the States Home Energy
Rebate Program leverages ENERGY STAR products in delivering this successful
program. Another example of leveraging this key national program is the Nebraska
Energy Office, which since 2005 has utilized ENERGY STAR as the standard for
certifying home and office electronics that are eligible under the States successful
and long-running Dollar and Energy Savings Loan program (approximately $300
million in loans with only $106,000 in defaults). The Montana Alternative Energy
Revolving Loan Program utilizes a 3.5 percent interest rate, with a 15-year time
limit.
In addition to the State partners, the program has over 16,000 voluntary partners
including over 2,000 manufacturers using the label, more than 1,000 retail partners,
more than 5,000 builder partners, 4,500 businesses, 550 utilities and thousands of
energy service providers. The ENERGY STAR New Homes program works with
States and home builders to develop the next generation of technologies and approaches to make homes more comfortable, healthy, and energy efficient. To date,
over 1.5 million homes across the country have been certified by the ENERGY
STAR New Homes program. In California, over 150,000 homes have been ENERGY
STAR certified. Additionally, States such as Alaska, Rhode Island, Vermont, New
Mexico, Oregon, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Missouri all have had at least 3,300
homes participating in the program. We are also working closely with EPA in the
implementation of the ENERGY STAR Challenge, which is encouraging commercial
and industrial building owners to reduce energy use by 10 percent or more, usually
through very simple actions. There are over 4,300 participants in the ENERGY
STAR Challenge, representing every State in the country. We are working with the
building owners to identify the level of energy use and compare that to a national
metric, establish goals and work with them to make the specified improvements.
Again, this is being done without mandates.
The State energy offices are very encouraged with progress made at EPA and in
our States to promote programs to make schools more energy efficient, in addition
to an expanding ENERGY STAR business partners program. In Kentucky, the State
has partnered with school districts and engineering firms to advance ENERGY
STAR rated schools, resulting in more than 250 ENERGY STAR rated schools in
the State, a 400 percent increase since 2010. Other States that have over 150 ENERGY STAR rated schools include California, New Mexico, Florida, North Carolina,
and Michigan. Other types of buildings can receive ENERGY STAR certification; for
example, a new data center in South Dakota recently obtained the ENERGY STAR
certification, joining only 59 other data centers in the country with this distinction.
EPA has been increasing the technical assistance work with the State energy offices in such areas as ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager (how to rate the performance of buildings), setting an energy target, and financing options for building improvements and building upgrade strategies. ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager is
used extensively by State energy offices to benchmark performance of State and mu-

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nicipal buildings, saving taxpayer dollars. Nearly 40 percent of the countrys commercial building space utilizes Portfolio Manager.
The State energy offices are working cooperatively with our peers in the State environmental agencies and State public utilities commissions to ensure that programs, regulations, projects and policies are developed recognizing both energy and
environmental concerns. We have worked closely with this program at EPA to address these issues. We encourage these continued efforts.
CONCLUSION

The ENERGY STAR program saves consumers billions of dollars every year. The
payback is enormous. NASEO supports robust program funding in fiscal year 2015.
Funding for the ENERGY STAR program is justified. NASEO endorses these activities and the State energy offices are working very closely with EPA to cooperatively
implement a variety of critical national programs without mandates.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

OF

STATE FORESTERS

The National Association of State Foresters (NASF) appreciates the opportunity

to submit written public testimony to the Senate Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies regarding our fiscal year 2015 appropriations recommendations. Our priorities focus primarily on appropriations for the USDA Forest Service (Forest Service) State and Private Forestry (S&PF) programs.
State Foresters deliver technical and financial assistance, along with forest
health, water and wildfire protection for more than two-thirds of the Nations 751
million acres of forests. The Forest Service S&PF mission area provides vital support for delivering these services alongside other socioeconomic and environmental
health benefits in both rural and urban areas. The comprehensive process for delivering these services is articulated in each State Forest Action Plan, authorized in
the 2008 Farm Bill and continued in the recently passed Agriculture Act of 2014.
S&PF programs provide a significant return on the Federal investment by
leveraging the boots-on-the-ground and financial resources of State agencies to deliver assistance to forest landowners, tribes, and communities. As we continue to
face difficult financial challenges, State foresters, in partnership with the S&PF
mission area of the Forest Service, are best positioned to maximize the effectiveness
of the resources available to respond to priority forest issues and focus efforts in
those areas where they are needed most.
Your support of the following programs is critical to helping States address the
many and varied challenges outlined in State Forest Action Plans.
WILDLAND FIRE AND FOREST FUELS

Wildland Fire Funding.The Forest Service and Department of the Interior were
forced to transfer a combined $636 million in fiscal year 2013 to fund fire suppression activities. We greatly appreciate your support in reimbursing the Forest Service
and Department of the Interior these transferred amounts through the continuing
resolution last fall. Unfortunately early estimates for the cost of wildland fire suppression in fiscal year 2014 indicate that costs could once again exceed the 10-year
average.
In the span of only 2 yearsfrom fiscal year 2012 to 2013the agencies were
forced to transfer more than $1 billion, funds that Congress had appropriated to
other priority programs, to fund wildland fire suppression. In order to avoid these
disruptive transfers in the future, we urge you to include language mirroring the
bi-partisan Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, introduced in the House and Senate, in
the fiscal year 2015 Interior Appropriations bill. This important change to fire funding at the Federal level is needed to enable the Forest Service to deliver on its own
land management objectives and to deliver critical Research and State & Private
Forestry Programs to the Nations non-Federal forests without any further disruption from fire transfers.
State Fire Assistance.More people living in fire-prone landscapes, high fuel
loads, drought and unhealthy landscapes are among the factors that led State foresters to identify wildland fire as a significant priority issue in their Forest Action
Plans. These factors have created a wildland fire situation that has become increasingly expensive, complex, and, in many cases, threatens human life and property.

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In 2013, more than 47,500 wildland fires burned over 4.3 million acres.1 In the
wake of these larger fires, more than 2,135 structures were destroyed, including at
least 1090 residences.2 Of the 72,681 communities across the country currently at
risk of wildland fire, only 12,434 (17.5 percent) are prepared for wildland fire.3
State Fire Assistance (SFA) is the fundamental Federal mechanism that assists
States and local fire departments to respond to wildland fires and conduct management activities to mitigate fire risk on non-Federal lands. Further, SFA helps train
and equip local first responders who are often the first resources to arrive at a
wildland fire incident and who play a crucial role in keeping fires and their costs
small. By directing resources to actions that help reduce the number of large
wildland firesincluding prevention education, preparedness activities, and fuels
mitigationthe SFA program directly addresses concerns over rising wildland fire
suppression costs, while also reducing wildland fire risk to communities. In fiscal
year 2013, SFA directly funded hazardous fuel treatments on nearly 130,000 acres
(with another 119,120 acres treated with leveraged funding) and provided assistance
to over 23,600 communities as they prepare for and mitigate the risk of wildland
fire. NASF supports funding the State Fire Assistance program at $86 million in
fiscal year 2015.
FOREST PESTS AND INVASIVE PLANTS

Among the greatest threats identified in the Forest Action Plans are exotic forest
pests and invasive species. The growing number of damaging pests is often a result
of the introduction and spread by way of wooden shipping materials, movement of
firewood, and through various types of recreation. These pests have the potential
to displace native trees, shrubs and other vegetation types in forests. The Forest
Service estimates that hundreds of native and nonnative insects and diseases damage the Nations forests each year. In 2010, approximately 6.4 million acres suffered
mortality from insects and diseases4 and there is an estimated 81.3 million acres
at risk from insects and disease over the next 15 years.5 These losses impact the
availability of clean and abundant water, wildlife habitat, clean air, and other environmental services. Further, extensive areas of high insect or disease mortality can
set the stage for large-scale, catastrophic wildfire.
In response, the Cooperative Forest Health Management program provides technical and financial assistance to States and territories to maintain healthy, productive forest ecosystems on non-Federal forest lands. Funding for the Program supports activities related to prevention, suppression, and eradication of insects, diseases, and plants as well as conducting forest health monitoring through pest surveys. The Forest Health program helps protect communities already facing outbreaks and helps prevent exposure of more of the Nations forests and trees to the
devastating and costly effects of exotic and invasive pests and pathogens. NASF
supports funding the Forest HealthCooperative Lands Program at $48 million in
fiscal year 2015.
WORKING FOREST LANDSCAPESFOREST STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM

Working forest landscapes are a key part of the rural landscape and provide an
estimated 900,000 jobs, in addition to clean water, wood products, and other essential services to millions of Americans. For instance, 80 percent of renewable biomass
energy comes from wood, 53 percent of all freshwater in the U.S. originates on forest
land and more than $200 billion in sales of consumer products and services are provided through the Nations forests each year.6
Private forests make up two-thirds of all the forestland in the United States and
support an average of eight jobs per 1,000 acres.7 The ability of working forests to
continue providing jobs, renewable energy, clean and abundant water and other important services is in jeopardy as private forests are lost to development. The Forest
1 National Interagency Fire Center, Historical Wildland Fire Summaries, pg. 9. Last accessed
March 3, 2014 at http://www.predictiveservices.nifc.gov/intelligence/2013lStatssumm/introl
summary13.pdf.
2 National Interagency Coordination Center.
3 National Association of State Foresters, Communities at Risk Report Fiscal Year 2013.
4 Man, Gary. 2011. Major Forest Insect and Disease Conditions in the United States: 2010 Update. Last accessed on March, 5, 2014 at: http://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/publications/
ConditionsReportl2011.pdf.
5 Tkacz, Bory, et al. 2014. NIDRM 2012 Report Files: Executive Summary. Last accessed on
March, 5, 2014 at: http://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/technology/pdfs/2012lRiskMaplExecl
summary.pdf.
6 Society of American Foresters. The State of Americas Forests. 2007.
7 Forest2Market. The Economic Impact of Privately-Owned Forests. 2009.

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Service estimates that 57 million acres of private forests in the U.S. are at risk of
conversion to urban development over the next two decades. The Forest Stewardship
Program, Forest Legacy Program, and other programs within USDA are key tools
identified in the Forest Action Plans to keep working forests intact.
The Forest Stewardship Program (FSP) is the most extensive family forest-owner
assistance program in the country. Management assistance is delivered in cooperation with State forestry agencies through technical assistance services and the development and implementation of Forest Stewardship Plans. In fiscal year 2013, nationwide, more than 20 million acres of private forest lands were managed according
to Forest Stewardship Plans. The program provides information to private landowners to help them manage their land for wildlife, recreation, aesthetics, timber
production, and many other purposes. The technical assistance provided through the
FSP is a gateway to other effective USDA, State, and private sector programs designed to help keep working forests intact. For instance, the FSP enables landowners to participate in USDA programs including the Forest Legacy Program and
Environmental Quality Incentives Program. NASF supports funding the Forest
Stewardship Program at $29 million in fiscal year 2015.
URBAN AND COMMUNITY FOREST MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES

Urban forests provide environmental, social, and economic benefits to the more
than 84 percent of Americans who live in metropolitan areas. Forest Action Plans
identified a number of benefits associated with urban forests including energy savings, improved air quality, neighborhood stability, aesthetic values, reduced noise,
and improved quality of life for communities across the country. At the same time,
the plans reported a number of threats to urban and community forests including
fire in the wildland urban interface (WUI), urbanization and development, invasive
plants and insects, diseases and others.
Since its expansion under the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1990
(CFAA), the Forest Services Urban and Community Forestry (U&CF) program has
provided technical and financial assistance to promote stewardship of urban forests
in communities of all sizes across the country. The program is delivered in close
partnership with State foresters and leverages existing local efforts that have
helped thousands of communities and towns manage, maintain, and improve their
tree cover and green spaces. This green infrastructure is a cornerstone for neighborhood stability and revitalization and the numerous contributions this program
provides the urban environment should not be under estimated. In fiscal year 2013,
the U&CF program delivered technical, financial, educational, and research assistance to 7,292 communities in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories
and affiliated Pacific Island nations. The program reached over 198 million Americans (i.e., over 60 percent of the U.S. population) in fiscal year 12. NASF supports
funding the Urban and Community Forestry program at $31 million in fiscal year
2015.
IMPORTANCE OF FOREST INVENTORY DATA IN MONITORING FOREST ISSUES

The Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program, managed by Forest Service Research, is the Nations only comprehensive forest inventory system for assessing the
health and sustainability of the Nations forests across all ownerships.8 FIA provides
essential data related to forest species composition, forest growth rates, and forest
health data and delivers baseline inventory estimates used in State Forest Action
Plans and by many others to understand forest trends and support investment in
forest products facilities that provide jobs and needed products to society. The program provides unbiased information that serves as the basis for monitoring trends
in wildlife habitat, wildfire risk, insect and disease threats, predicting spread of
invasive species, and for responding to priorities identified in the Forest Action
Plans.
The Farm Bill directed the Forest Service to revise the FIA strategic plan, and
State Foresters are actively engaged with the Agency as they consider a new strategic plan for this crucial program. This program has wide bipartisan support and
NASF supports funding the Forest Inventory and Analysis program at $72 million
in fiscal year 2015.
LANDSCAPE SCALE RESTORATION

We appreciate the support of the subcommittee for State Forest Action Plans demonstrated through the establishment of the Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR)
8 The

program has not yet been fully implemented in all States including Interior Alaska.

152
budget line item in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014. State foresters look
forward to working with members of the subcommittee and the Forest Service to
make sure that, through LSR, we prioritize funds and resources to maximize return
on investments to conserve, protect, and enhance our Nations forests. The LSR line
item codifies the competitive allocation of Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act
(CFAA) funds which began under direction from the 2008 Farm Billbut State foresters believe that LSR can and should do more.
In the fiscal year 2012 Consolidated Appropriations Act Conference Report, the
subcommittee directed the Forest Service to develop a process allowing State foresters flexibility, with appropriate accountability, to reallocate a percentage of authorizations for CFAA programs to address State priorities consistent with State
Forest Action Plans. NASF has worked closely with the Forest Service to explore
how States could utilize funding flexibility to meet their own unique and changing
needs; however issues around the need to request reprogramming of funds has been
a barrier to implementing funding flexibility. State foresters believe that LSR provides a perfect opportunity to demonstrate the value in providing States the flexibility to meet these unique needs through the allocation of their CFAA funds. Such
a model would include continued funding for the competitive allocation of CFAA
funds with the addition of an allocation to States to further implementation of each
State Forest Action Plan.
NASF supports funding the Landscape Scale Restoration program at $23.5 million
in fiscal year 2015 and would like to work with the subcommittee to direct that a
portion of LSR funds be made available to State forestry agencies, based on overall
percentage of CFAA funds received, to further implement their State Forest Action
Plan.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF

PRESERVATION OFFICERS

STATE HISTORIC

Fiscal Year 2015 Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) Total Request:

$50 million for State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs);
$15 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs);
$6 million for survey, inventory and digitization of records;
$5 million for a competitive grant program for underrepresented populations;
and
$10 million for a bricks & mortar competitive grant program.
Funded through withdrawals from the Historic Preservation Fund (16 U.S.C.
470h) U.S. Department of the Interiors National Park Service Historic Preservation
Fund (HPF).
UNIQUE AND SUCCESSFUL FEDERAL-STATE PARTNERSHIP

In 1966 Congress, recognizing the importance of our heritage enacted the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA16 U.S.C. 470), which established historic
preservation as a priority of the Federal Government. Recognizing that States are
the experts of their own history, instead of using Federal employees to carry out
the Act, the Department Of Interior and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation partner with the States and use SHPOs to: (1) locate and record historic resources; (2) nominate significant historic resources to the National Register of Historic Places; (3) cultivate historic preservation programs at the local government
level; (4) provide funds for preservation activities; (5) comment on Federal rehabilitation tax credit projects; (6) review all Federal projects for their impact on historic
properties; and (7) provide technical assistance to Federal agencies, State and local
governments and the private sector. And, States provide a forty percent minimum
match to the Federal appropriation.
JOBS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

From the West to the East coasts, historic preservation plays a key role in creating, maintaining, and growing communities while preserving their historical significance. The Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit (HTC) program, administered by
the State Historic Preservation Offices in cooperation with the National Park Service, is an important driver in economic development. The program benefits communities by:
Increasing the value of the rehabilitated property by returning vacant or underutilized structures to the tax roles and stimulating adjacent development
projects.

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Encouraging protection of landmarks through the promotion, recognition, and
designation of historic structures, and acting as a catalyst for further community renewal.
Revitalizing downtowns and neighborhoods and often increasing the amount of
available housing within the community.
Since inception, the HTC has rehabilitated nearly 39,000 buildings, created 2.4
million jobs and leveraged $109 billion in private investment nationwide. On average, the HTC leverages $5 dollars in private investment for every $1 dollar in Federal funding creating highly effective public-private partnerships. In 2013, the HTC
spurred $3.39 billion in rehabilitation work, created nearly 63,000 skilled, local jobs
and over 25,000 new or renovated housing units. All of which brings short and longterm economic opportunities for the community.
A recent successful example is the $100 million rehabilitation of Building 91 of
the former R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. manufacturing plant in Winston-Salem, North
Carolina. This 242,000 square foot building now houses the research department
arm of the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center along with space for
other biotechnology start-up companies. Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines said of
the project, Its been extremely gratifying to watch this solid old building bounce
back to life. It lets us preserve some of the citys tobacco heritage while putting us
on a path toward a knowledge based future.
Heritage tourism also creates jobs, new businesses, builds community pride and
can improve quality of life. SHPOs are essential, ground level partners in identifying historic places and providing research for tourism interpretation. A minimal
$3 million increase in SHPO funding would allow SHPOs to expand their public outreach and assistance, enabling communities to take greater advantage of heritage
tourism opportunities. Cultural and heritage travelers spend an average of $994 per
trip and contribute more than $192 billion annually to the U.S. economy.1
COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION

Nationwide, communities have experienced how historic preservation plays a

prominent and effective role in community and neighborhood revitalization. In many
cases, historic preservation combats the effects of vacancy by using the historic built
environment as a catalyst for community change. These changes result in historic
downtown districts and neighborhoods becoming destinations consisting of restaurants, office space, art galleries, specialty shops, living spaces, and civic centers.
The City of Franklin, Tennessee has identified historic preservation as one of the
main priorities in their Land Use Plan. Because of their preservation efforts and
the ensuing economic development, the American Planning Association named the
Downtown Franklin Neighborhood as one of the Great Places in America. Franklin
believes that taking care of their built environment does more than just save old
buildings. It provides economic development, community pride, and a sense of belonging that helps build the future.
The rehabilitation of the American Brewery building in Baltimore, Maryland is
another success. The $25 million rehabilitation project is located in the Broadway
East neighborhood, a low-income area of row houses and small commercial storefronts that suffer from abandonment and blight. The tenants in the newly restored
structure include Humanim, a social services organization, which is providing workforce development services and job creation opportunities directly to the surrounding
neighborhood. In addition to relocating its 250 employees there, the organization
made 40 local hires and the once abandoned structure is now spurring greater developer confidence in the community.
FINDING AND SAVING AMERICAS HERITAGE

While historic preservation generates economic development and community revitalization, it of course also saves old buildings and significant places. These sites
represent the many people, places, and events that have left marks on and shaped
our national landscape. The authors of the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act
wrote:
the historical and cultural foundations of the Nation should be preserved
as a living part of our community life and development in order to give a
sense of orientation to the American people;
1 U.S. Cultural and Heritage Tourism Study (October 2009) conducted by Mandala Research,
LLC for U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council, U.S. Department of Commerce,
and Gozaic/Heritage Travel Inc., a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

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The first step in preserving and protecting Americas heritage is identifying it
which comes through survey, inventory and creating digital records. This information forms the fundamental building blocks of our Nations historic preservation program and is a key program area thats lacking at the current level of appropriation.
The NCSHPO requests a minimum of $6 million a year, for each of the next 10
years, specifically for survey, inventory, and records digitization.
Having accurate, up-to-date, digitally accessible information on our Nations historic resources would drastically increase the efficiency and effectiveness of all local,
State, and Federal projects. From deciding on the design of local in-fill development,
to State transportation planning projects, to Federal large-scale energy projects and
disaster recovery effortsevery single project, and the American people would benefit.
Once identified and documented, Americas historic resources are primarily recognized at the local, State, and national levels through historic districts and listing
on National and State Historic Registers. State Historic Preservation Officers,
through the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act assist, support and
encourage communities with their efforts. National Register recognition by the Secretary confirms citizens belief in the significance of their community.
The National Historic Preservation program is primarily one of assistance, not acquisition. The Federal Government does not own, manage, or maintain responsibility for most of the historic assets in the National Historic Preservation program.
Instead, the program, through the SHPOs, provides individuals, communities, and
local, State, and Federal Governments the tools they need to identify preserve and
utilize the historic assets of importance to them.
To that end, in addition to the $6 million for survey, inventory, and digitization,
the NCSHPO requests a minimum of $50 million for SHPOs, to simply sustain their
current operating levels. The NCSHPO also requests $3 million for a competitive
grant program to survey and nominate to the National Register of Historic Places
or National Landmark Program, sites associated with populations that are currently
underrepresented. SHPOs have created many programs and activities to support
this effort but the current funding level restricts their ability to be fully implemented. Three million will provide a positive step in their implementation. The
NCSHPO also supports $10 million for a competitive grant program that provides
seed money for bricks & mortar rehabilitation projects listed at the local, State, and
national levels of significance. There is currently no Federal funding provided for
this activity.
The NCSHPO also requests that in 2015, the subcommittee supports a reauthorization of the Historic Preservation Fund that includes full and permanent funding
at $150 million a year.
2013 STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICES ACCOMPLISHMENTS

SHPOs used their HPF allocations well in 2013. While virtually every State continues to experience staffing and operational reductions, SHPOs are still charged
with implementing the requirements of the NHPA to the fullest extent. Highlights
of 2013 historic preservation accomplishments include:
Reviewing nearly 103,000 Federal undertakings within 30 days.
Leveraging over $3.39 billion of private investment in the rehabilitation of commercial historic properties under HTC program.
An estimated 70,000 jobs created by the HTC program in 2013.
Over 7,000 low and moderate income housing units created through the HTC.
Approximately 16.3 million acres surveyed for the presence or absence of cultural resources.
1,175 new listings in the National Register of Historic Places.
82,100 National Register eligibility opinions.
29 new communities became Certified Local Governments (CLGs).
Under local law, CLGs newly designated 54,500 properties, and 93,900 properties took part in local preservation review, programs, and incentives.
CONCLUSION

On behalf of all 59 SHPOs, Id like to thank you Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, and Members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies for the opportunity to submit testimony.
Historic preservation recognizes that what was common and ordinary in the past
is often rare and precious today, and what is common and ordinary today may be
extraordinary50, 100 or 500 years from now. I would like to thank the subcommittee for their commitment to historic preservation. The Federal Government
plays an invaluable role in preserving our Nations history and our collective sense

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of place. Through our partnership, SHPOs remain committed to working together
to identify, protect, and maintain our Nations historic heritage. Thank you.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIONAL CONGRESS

OF

AMERICAN INDIANS

On behalf of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), we thank you

for the opportunity to submit written testimony on Native American programs in
the Interior appropriations bill. NCAI is the oldest and largest American Indian organization in the United States. Tribal leaders created NCAI in 1944 as a response
to termination and assimilation policies that threatened the existence of American
Indian and Alaska Native tribes. As the most representative organization of American Indian and Alaska Native tribes, NCAI serves the broad interests of tribal governments across the Nation. As Congress considers the fiscal year 2015 budget and
beyond, leaders of tribal nations call on decision-makers to ensure that the promises
made to Indian Country are honored in the Federal budget.
NCAI includes recommendations for Interior bureaus, the Indian Health Service,
and the Environmental Protection Agency, but the fiscal year 2015 Indian Country
Budget Request 1 includes many more specific recommendations and we urge this
subcommittee to use it as a resource during this appropriations cycle. NCAI also
supports the testimony of the National Indian Health Board, National Indian Child
Welfare Association, National Indian Education Association, and American Indian
Higher Education Consortium.
INTRODUCTION

Annual funding decisions by Congress are an expression of our Nations moral priorities. Numerous treaties, statutes, and court decisions have created a fundamental
contract between tribal nations and the United States: tribes ceded millions of acres
of land that made the United States what it is today, and in return tribes have the
right of continued self-government and the right to exist as distinct peoples on their
own lands. And for its part, the United States has assumed a trust responsibility
to protect these rights and to fulfill its solemn commitments to Indian tribes and
their members. Part of this trust responsibility includes basic governmental services
in Indian Country, funding for which is appropriated in the discretionary portion
of the Federal budget. The Federal budget for tribal governmental services reflects
the extent to which the United States honors its promises to Indian people.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS (BIA)

The fiscal year 2015 budget request for the Operation of Indian Programs account
is $2.4 billion, an increase of $33.8 million, or 1.4 percent, above the fiscal year 2014
enacted level. The fiscal year 2015 budget request for the Construction account is
$109.9 million; a decrease of $216,000 below the fiscal year 2014 enacted level.
The fiscal year 2015 budget proposes a total of $922.6 million in Tribal Priority
Allocations, an increase of $19.3 million over the fiscal year 2014 level, a 2 percent
increase.
The budget request for contract support is $251 million; including funding for the
Indian Self-Determination Fund, an increase of $4 million above the fiscal year 2014
enacted level. The requested amount will fully fund estimated fiscal year 2015 contract support costs, according to BIA based on the most recent analysis. NCAI commends the administration for requesting full funding for Contract Support Costs in
fiscal year 2015. NCAI recommends that the Tribal Grant Support Costs for tribally
controlled schools and residential facilities should also be fully funded. Tribal Grant
Support Costs (formerly referred to as Administrative Cost Grants) funding is provided to the schools to cover administrative and indirect costs incurred in operating
contract and grant schools. In school year 20122013, tribally controlled grant
schools received an estimated 64 percent of the grant support funding needed as defined by the administrative cost grants formula.
Major Initiatives
The Tiwahe (Family) Initiative would provide an additional $11.6 million to expand Indian Affairs capacity to address Indian child and family welfare and job
training issues and implement processes to better sustain Indian families. Increases
include: $10 million to build on social services and Indian child welfare programs
that provide culturally-appropriate services toward health promotion, family sta1 National Congress of American Indians. (January 2014). Fiscal year 2015 Indian Country
Budget Requests: An honorable budget for Indian country. Washington, DC: Author.

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bility, and strengthening tribal communities; $550,000 to expand job placement and
training programs; BIA law enforcement would begin a pilot program to implement
a strategy for alternatives to incarceration and increased treatment; $1 million to
develop and institutionalize a program for evaluating social service and community
development needs and to inform programmatic design, evaluation, management,
and budgeting.
Tribal leaders through the Tribal Interior Budget Council have repeatedly called
for increases to Social services and Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) funding. NCAI
also supports increases to these two activities. ICWA was enacted in 1978 in response to the troubling practices of public and private child welfare agencies that
were systematically removing American Indian and Alaska Native children from
their homes, communities, and culture, and placing them in non-Indian foster and
adoptive homes. The Act not only provides protections for Native children in State
child welfare and judicial systems but recognizes the sovereign right of tribes to care
for their children. The crippling of Native economies before the Self-Determination
Era left tribal citizens overwhelmingly impoverished, facing high unemployment
compared to non-Native people, and with few economic opportunities. The barriers
to employment vary region-to-region in Indian Country, but include geographic remoteness, a weak private sector, poor basic infrastructure, and even a lack of basic
law enforcement infrastructure. This, coupled with the recent economic down turn,
makes the Social Service program an essential yet underfunded part of anti-poverty
programming on reservations nationwide. For these reasons, NCAI supports the increase BIA Social Services.
Education increases include: $500,000 for Johnson OMalley education assistance
grants to support a new student count in 2015 and provides funding for the projected increase in the number of students eligible for grants; $1 million to support
the ongoing evaluation of the BIE school system. NCAI also recommends $263.4 million for School Construction and Repair, $73 million For Tribal Grant Support
Costs; $431 million for Indian School Equalization Program Formula Funds; $73
million for Indian student transportation; and $42 million for Johnson OMalley
funding (justification is included in the fiscal year 2015 Indian Country Budget).
Public Safety.Indian Country has long struggled with high crime victimization
rates. Violent crimes impose economic costs on the victims and their families, in the
form of medical and other expenses and the loss of earnings. Areas with high crime
also experience reduced investment. Safe communities are necessary for economic
development. Moreover, the Indian Law and Order Commission found that tribal
nations throughout our country would benefit enormously if locally based and accountable law enforcement officers were staffed at levels comparable to similarly situated communities off-reservation. In 2010, DOI established a High Priority Performance Goal (HPPG) initiative to reduce violent crime by at least 5 percent over
24 months on four reservations that were experiencing high rates of violent crime.
In fiscal year 2010, all four locations received an increase in base funding to support
additional sworn staff. The additional resources assisted in closing the staffing gap
and bringing each location up to national sworn staffing levels as listed under the
U.S. Department of Justice Uniform Crime Report staffing averages. The effort resulted in a 35 percent decrease in violent crime across the four sites. The Indian
Law and Order Commission report states, [d]espite the current budget reality, the
results of the HPPG Initiative should not be forgotten: parity in law enforcement
services prevents crime and reduces violent crime rates. 2 NCAI also recommends
an increase for BIA tribal courts.
BIA Overall.NCAI appreciates recent support for some tribal programs over the
last few years, especially for the Indian Health Service, contract support costs, and
law enforcement. In the fiscal year 2015 Presidents budget, DOIs current appropriations would increase 2.6 percent, without BIA. For BIA to at least match the
2.6 percent increase over fiscal year 2014 for DOIs current appropriation level
would require an additional $69.2 million. About 91 percent of the funding proposed
that that would benefit Indian tribes in DOI is through BIA and Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians (OST) and 9 percent of funds to tribes (excluding
fire) are in other bureaus.

2 Indian Law & Order Commission. (November 2013). A roadmap for making Native America
safer: Report to the President & Congress of the United States, Executive Summary, p. xxx.

157
[Dollars in thousands]
Agency

2015 Request

US Geological Survey (USGS) ...................................................................................

Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) ..............................................................................
National Park Service (NPS) ....................................................................................
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) .......................................................................
Dept. Wide Programs ...............................................................................................
Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) .................................................................................

$1,073,268
1,476,202
2,614,599
1,113,542
876,053
1,042,995

Tribes

$7,600
10,700
13,500
16,900
35,000
186,500

Percent of
Agency

0.7
0.7
0.5
1.5
4.0
17.9

The other Interior agencies certainly provide assistance to Indian tribes. The
Presidents budget includes funds for tribes such other DOI budgets: 0.7 percent of
the USGS budget, 0.7 percent of the USFWS budget, 0.5 percent of the NPS budget,
and 18 percent of the BOR budget.3 NCAI appreciates that, for instance, USGS is
increasingly engaging with tribes to develop climate adaptation programs and working to meet tribes needs for scientific and planning information.
The USFWS also is improving its work with tribes, such as with the North Pacific
Landscape Conservation Cooperative (NPLCC). Increased tribal engagement is good,
to the extent that non-BIA bureaus are assisting tribes, providing resources and upholding the Federal trust responsibility.
But BIA provides the primary resources for carrying out the core governmental
services to about 2 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. Funding for tribal
capacity building is critical. Individual projects, such as the NPLCC, do not provide
the long-term capability that tribes need to be able to address climate issues. The
$9.947 million in the BIAs budget for Cooperative Landscape Conservation does not
go far for 566 federally recognized tribes. Even as other agencies work to improve
meeting their obligations to tribes, NCAI urges Congress to ensure that the BIA
budget can provide the resources that modern and sophisticated tribal governments
require.
INDIAN HEALTH SERVICES

NCAI requests that for fiscal year 2015, Congress truly restore the sequestration
cuts remaining from fy 2013, and adjust for inflation and population growth.
Though discretionary spending is not facing sequestration in fiscal year 2015, NCAI
urges this subcommittee to continue to advocate for a permanent, full exemption
from sequestration, as well as rescissions, for Tribal programs for fiscal year 2016
and beyond. NCAI supports the recommendations of the Tribal Budget Formulation
Workgroup for fiscal year 2015 as well as the National Indian Health Boards testimony.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

Tribal General Assistance Program (GAP) Grants.GAP would receive a $31 million increase in base funding in the Presidents budget, which would increase the
average size of grants made to eligible tribes while providing tribes with a stronger
foundation to build tribal capacity; and further the EPAs partnership and collaboration with tribes to address a wider set of program responsibilities and challenges.
As the largest single source of the EPAs funding to tribes, the Tribal GAP grants
assist tribes to establish the capacity to implement programs to address environmental and public health issues in Indian Country. NCAI supports this proposed increase.
CONCLUSION

Thank you for this opportunity to share our concerns on programs that fulfill treaty and trust obligations in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. We look forward to working with this subcommittee on a bipartisan
basis once again this year.
3 Analysis of Appendix A of the Fiscal Year 2015 Interior Budget in Brief, retrieved at http://
www.doi.gov/budget/appropriations/2015/highlights/upload/A001.pdf and March 26 Testimony of
Asst. Sec. Washburn before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, retrieved at http://
www.indian.senate.gov/sites/default/files/upload/files/
032614%20Kevin%20Washburn%20FINAL.pdf.

158
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIONAL INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ASSOCIATION

The National Indian Child Welfare Association (NICWA) is a national American

Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) nonprofit organization. NICWA has over 30 years of
experience providing leadership in the development of public policy that supports
tribal self-determination in child welfare and childrens mental health systems. We
urge Congress, as they make budgetary decisions for fiscal year 2015, to not forget
the unique interest of AI/AN children and families. This testimony will provide recommendations for the following programs administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the Department of the Interior: Indian Child Protection and Family Violence
Prevention ($43 million), Social Services ($40.8 million), Welfare Assistance ($80
million), and Indian Child Welfare Act Program (Tribal Priority Allocation$15.6
million; Self-Governance$16.5 million; Off-Reservation Program$5 million).
Tribes have an important relationship with their children and families; they are
experts in the needs of AI/AN children, best-suited to effectively serve those needs,
and most able to improve these childrens child welfare outcomes (NICWA & Pew
Charitable Trust, 2007). In addition, statistics show that AI/AN children face elevated rates of child abuse and neglect (Department of Health and Human Services,
2012). The key to successful tribal child welfare is a budget that avoids unnecessary
restraint on tribal decisionmaking and accounts for the elevated need in tribal communities.
PRIORITY PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION

Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act recommendation.

Appropriate $43 million for the three discretionary grant programs under this law:
(1) $10 million for the Indian Child Abuse Treatment Grant Program; (2) $30 million for the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Grant Program;
and (3) $3 million for the Indian Child Resource and Family Service Centers so that
tribes will finally get this vital funding.
The Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act (ICPFVP; Public
Law 101630), was enacted to fill gaps in tribal child welfare servicesspecifically
child protection and child abuse treatmentand to encourage coordination between
child abuse and domestic violence programs.
AI/AN women are more likely than any other racial group to experience intimate
partner violence (IPV); 39 percent of AI/AN women report having experienced IPV
at some point in their lives (Black and Breiding, 2008). Studies show that in 49 percent-70 percent of cases, men who abuse their partners also abuse their children
(White Eagle, Clairmont, and Hunter, 2011). The ICPFVP programs are the only
funds specifically authorized for tribes to address these issues. The three programs
authorized under this line item provide funding for child abuse treatment and prevention; investigation of child abuse reports; family violence treatment services; and
the establishment of BIA Indian child resource and family service centers to assist
tribes with the investigation, prevention, and treatment of victims of child abuse
and domestic violence. In spite of the great need, and these programs authorization
in 1991, only the BIA Indian child resource and family centers have ever received
funding and that was only in one fiscal year.
This year the President introduced an important Indian Country budget initiative:
the Tiwahe (Family) Initiative. This initiative aims to empower tribal communities
in order to strengthen AI/AN families by directing additional resources to support
culturally appropriate social services and a more holistic approach toward family
stability (U.S. DOI Budget Justifications and Performance Information Indian Affairs fiscal year 2015 (Greenbook), 2014, p. IAES2). This initiative will provide
additional funding to the BIA Social Service Program, the Indian Child Welfare Act
(ICWA) program, and to BIA job training and job placement programs. Omitting the
funding for ICPFVPA programs leaves a gap in the Presidents initiative. For this
reason, and as a part of this Tiwahe Initiative, the programs under this grant
should be fully appropriated.
OTHER PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS

Social Services recommendation.Increase funding by $5 million as recommended

by the Presidents proposed Tiwahe Initiative for a total appropriation of $40.8 million so that child protective services can be fortified.
The BIA Social Services line item funds contracted/compacted tribal social workers who help families get assistance and protect children and elders, BIA social
work staff at regional and agency offices, support programs for AI/AN individuals,
and training and technical assistance to tribal social service programs.

159
This line item is, therefore, an essential part of tribal child welfare systems. The
Social Service line item helps AI/AN families meet their basic needs which prevents
involvement with the child welfare system. It provides the only BIA funding available for child protective services in Indian Country (because the ICPFVPA remains
unfunded).
The President has proposed a $5 million increase in Social Service funding in his
fiscal year 2015 budget as part of the Tiwahe (Family) Initiative. These funds are
to be used to add much needed additional social workers for both tribal and [BIA]
operated programs (Greenbook, 2014, p. IAHS2). These social workers are to be
dedicated to child protection, and it is the hope of the President that this increase
in capacity will allow tribal child welfare systems to focus on long-term strategies
to address the impact of family violence on the break-up of the families and to
provide more prevention, intervention, and outreach activities (Greenbook, 2014, p.
IAHS2). We commend the President for the Tiwahe Initiative and this proposed
increase in funding for tribal social services and ask that Congress fund Social Services at $40.8 million as recommended by the President.
Welfare Assistance recommendation.Increase current funding levels to $80 million to provide a safety net for Native families and assist grandfamilies and other
kinship caregivers in tribal communities.
The Welfare Assistance line item provides five important forms of funding to AI/
AN families: General Assistance, Child Assistance, Non-Medical Institutional or
Custodial Care of Adults, Burial Assistance, and Emergency Assistance. General Assistance, Emergency Assistance, and Child Assistance are particularly important to
tribal child welfare programs.
General Assistance provides financial assistance for essential needs such as food,
clothing, shelter, and utilities while individuals who are ineligible for all other financial assistance programs work towards independence as outlined in a self-sufficiency plan. AI/AN children are more likely to live in households that are below the
poverty line. Thirty-four percent of AI/AN children live in households with incomes
below the poverty line as compared to 20.7 percent of children nationwide (Maternal
and Child Health Bureau, 2012). In addition, nearly 19 percent of the AI/AN labor
force is unemployed on reservations (20062010 American Community Survey)
twice the rate for the total population. These funds are essential to the basic wellbeing of the families who receive them and also an important tool for child welfare
agencies working to keep families together. These funds, like Emergency Assistance,
also funded under this line item, often provide the financial assistance necessary to
prevent neglect and the removal of a child.
Child Assistance provides payments on behalf of children who are placed outside
their homes in foster, adoptive, or guardianship care. Because tribal governments
have a responsibility to support the placement of AI/AN children that live on tribal
lands under their jurisdiction who cannot remain safely at home, these funds are
critical. Currently only three tribes have access to title IVE, the funding stream
States use to support out-of-home placements. Other tribes rely on Child Assistance
funds for this purpose. Without these funds, tribes would have to place children in
unsubsidized substitute care homes. This would put an undue burden on tribal foster families and make foster care recruitment in AI/AN communities all the more
difficult.
The current funding level for these important services just begins to meet the
need in tribal communities. For this reason, the funds should be increased by $5
million. This amount will provide necessary support to AI/AN families at risk of
being torn apart, to children in relative placements, and to AI/AN individuals and
families who need a hand up.
ICWA Funding recommendation.Increase the ICWA On or Near Reservation
Program appropriations by $5 million and the Self-Governance and Consolidated
Tribal Government ICWA On or Near Reservation appropriations by $5 million, for
a total increase of $10 million to help tribes meet the needs of their communities.
Appropriate an additional $5 million for the authorized, but unfunded, Off-Reservation ICWA Program to ensure ICWA protects all children.
At the time that ICWA was passed, Congress estimated that between $26 million
and $62 million was required to fully fund tribal child welfare programs on or near
reservations during the first years of the grant program (U.S. Senate Report 95
597). ICWA funding is used for family reunification and rehabilitation, case management, foster care recruitment and retention, and adoption services. As the President
has recognized in his Tiwahe (Family) Initiative, increased ICWA funding is essential for strong AI/AN families and communities. This funding is designed to prevent
the breakup of Indian families or reunite them if break-up occurs (Greenbook, 2014
p. IAHS3). This funding is also used to expand the capabilities of tribes to intervene in involuntary court proceedings and ensure the children are not separated

160
from their cultural base (Greenbook, IAHS3). Despite its importance to so many
facets of tribal child welfare, it remains underfunded, even as tribes remain ineligible for other important child welfare funding like CAPTA State Grants, and Title
XX Social Service Block Grants to which States have access.
Specifically, as part of the Tiwahe Initiative, the President recommends a $5 million increase to ICWA on-reservation funding to be shared between Tribal Priority
Allocation and Self-Governance/638/Consolidated Tribal Government Programs. This
would amount to an approximate increase of $2.5 million to each of these ICWA onreservation programs. We commend the President for this initiative and for his recognition of the important of ICWA funding to tribal communities and families.
Spreading the $5 million increase between both Tribal Priority Allocation tribes and
Self-Governance/638/Consolidated Tribal Government Programs, however, will prevent a significant increase in actual ICWA funding for all tribes. ICWA is such a
foundation to the Tiwahe Initiative that we recommend a $5 million increase to
each of the ICWA on-reservation funding programs. This would mean a $5 million
increase to the Tribal Priority Allocation as well as a $5 million increase to SelfGovernance/638/Consolidated Tribal Government Programs for ICWA purposes.
The protections of ICWA apply to AI/AN children on-reservation and children who
live in urban areas. For this reason, ICWA authorizes child welfare funding for
urban ICWA programs. From 19791996, funding was allocated for ICWA grants to
urban organizations serving AI/AN peoples. This off-reservation ICWA program has
not since been funded since, despite the fact that, according to the 2010 Census, 67
percent of AI/AN people lived off-reservation. Urban programs provide important
ICWA services including recruitment of AI/AN foster homes, case management,
identification of at-risk families for services, and in-home services that help children
stay in their homes or be reunified with their parents. As a result of the loss of
funding, the majority of these programs have disintegrated. It is for this reason that
to truly fulfill the Tiwahe Initiative, funding for off-reservation ICWA programs
must be reinstated and appropriated at $5 million to ensure that all AI/AN children
are protected by the ICWA.

INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT

Fiscal year
2012 enacted

On-Reservation: Tribal Priority Allocation ..................................................

On-Reservation: Self-Gov/638/Consol.
Tribal Govt Program .......................

Fiscal year
2013 * enacted

Fiscal year
2014 enacted

Fiscal year 2015

Presidents Budget

Fiscal year 2015

recommended

$10,850,000

$10,628,000

$10,710,000

$13,128,000

$15,628,000

11,300,000

11,480,000

$13,980,000

16,480,000

number not
available
0

5,000,000

Off-Reservation ....................................
* Reflects sequestration effects.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIONAL INDIAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

The National Indian Education Association (NIEA) was incorporated in 1970 and
is the most representative Native education organization in the United States.
NIEAs mission is to advance comprehensive and equal educational opportunities for
American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian students. NIEA supports
tribal sovereignty over education as well as strengthening traditional Native cultures and values that enable Native learners to become contributing members of
their communities. As the most inclusive Native education organization, NIEA
membership consists of tribal leaders, educators, students, researchers, and education stakeholders from all 50 States. From communities in Hawaii, to tribal reservations across the continental U.S., to villages in Alaska and urban communities
in major cities, NIEA has the most reach of any Native education organization in
the country.
Tribes and Native communities have a tremendous stake in an improved education system, because an improved system equates to better services for Native
people and students. As tribes work to increase their footprint in education, there
must be support for that increased participation. Established through treaties, Federal law, and U.S. Supreme Court decisions, this relationship includes a fiduciary
obligation to provide parity in access and equal resources to all American Indian
and Alaska Native students, regardless of where they attend school. National fiscal
and policy concerns should not be addressed by decreasing funds and investment to
Native students or the programs that serve them. Rather, Native education, includ-

161
ing those programs and services under the Department of the Interior (DOI), is one
of the most effective and efficient investments the Federal Government can make.
As tribes and Native communities work with Congress for parity in access to increase their role and responsibility in administering education, Federal support for
tribal governments and Native education institutions has continued to shrink as a
percentage of the Federal budget. Historical funding trends illustrate that the Federal Government is abandoning its trust responsibility by decreasing Federal funds
to Native-serving programs by more than half in the last 30 years. Sequestration
only exacerbated those shortfalls.
THE STATE OF NATIVE EDUCATION

Partly as a result of insufficient access to resources, Native education is in a state

of emergency. Native students lag far behind their peers on every educational indicator, from academic achievement to high school and college graduation rates. Just
over 50 percent of Native students are graduating high school, compared to nearly
80 percent for the majority population nationally. For students attending Bureau of
Indian Education (BIE) schools, rates are even lower. According to the latest results
from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the BIEs tribally
controlled schools (approximately 120 facilities) are among the worst performing
schools in the Nation due to an array of issues often caused by inadequate access
for tribal involvement as well as insufficient resources. Due to the inability of elementary and secondary schools to adequately prepare our children, only 40 percent
of Native college enrollees in 2004 actually graduated college with a bachelors degree by 2010. For Native students to succeed in post-secondary education and careers, they must have a strong education foundation, whether they attend public,
tribally-controlled, or direct service BIE schools.
BUREAU OF INDIAN EDUCATION REFORM

For too many years, DOI made other programs priorities while Native education
programs and the BIE were afterthoughts. In addition to the disparaging September
2013 Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report on the BIE school system, the
work of this subcommittee and education partners has built momentum around
much-needed BIE reform. NIEA is enthusiastic about the renewed collaboration
among Secretaries Sally Jewell and Arne Duncan in the Departments of the Interior
and Education (ED) and for their support to create the American Indian Education
Study Group (Study Group). We are also excited to strengthen our work with BIE
Director Dr. Charles Monty Roessel to ensure BIE moves in the right direction.
We are already happy to see the hiring of a coordinator within the Bureau to start
work on the 2014 Johnson OMalley (JOM) student count, which was last officially
updated in 1995.
However, much work lies ahead. The Study Group is currently behind schedule
in producing their report, so it is important to maintain pressure for results. Further, as the Study Group works with tribal communities this spring and summer
to release a report, NIEA hopes this subcommittee will analyze our recommendations and take concrete steps to support the reforms required for increasing the capacity of tribes to govern their education systems. These include (1) providing the
BIE the ability to manage its budget; (2) strengthening tribal capacity to administer
education services; and (3) providing budgetary support for programs, such as tribal
grant support costs and school construction, so the BIE can provide safe environments for our students as well as sufficiently support tribes as they contract education services.
FISCAL YEAR 2015 RECOMMENDATIONS

BIE Budget Authority

For too long, bureaucratic issues among the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and
the BIE have decreased the ability of the BIE to meet the educational needs of our
youth. Congress and Federal agencies should make funding for BIE a priority to increase available resources for addressing the needed systemic changes and issues
highlighted in the September 2013 GAO Report. DOI should transfer budget authority from the BIA to the BIE to increase efficiency and effectiveness, as BIE officials
better understand needed funding within their programs.
As a result of BIA authority over the BIE budget, the BIE is often low in priority
as compared to other programs. As a result of internal BIA fiscal year 2014 Operating Plan reallocations, the BIA reduced JOM Assistance Grants by $170,000 as
well as cut BIE higher education scholarships. NIEA is fully supportive of the hard
work tribes and Native communities put forth to achieve full funding for contract

162
support costs in fiscal year 2014. However, such achievements should not come by
forfeiting funds from critical education programs and services.
Furthermore, while the reduced lines were under tribal priority allocations, such
reductions were not authorized by tribal leaders but were a result of internal redistributions. While the reductions are small as compared to the overall increase in the
BIA budgets, rescissions without appropriate consultation are unacceptable. Providing the BIE the ability to develop its own budget would ensure the BIA cannot
reallocate funds from the BIE as it would be a separate Bureau with its own budget
authority.
Strengthen Tribal Capacity $5 million
Tribes should be provided more opportunity to collaborate and participate in their
childrens education systems. Since the late 20th Century, Congress has worked to
strengthen tribal capacity to directly serve their citizens. The BIE should become
a capacity builder to help tribes administer education services. While an authorization under the U.S. Department of Education for tribal capacity building in public
schools on reservations has been funded since fiscal year 2012, the program only
addresses one aspect of existing need.
The State-Tribal Education Partnership Program (STEP) in ED is a solid start for
increasing collaboration among States and tribes for increasing the tribal role in a
Native students education. However, additional funding of $5 million within both
DOI and ED totaling $10 million is needed to ensure more tribes can participate
in providing education services via their tribal education agencies in local triballycontrolled grant schools. Because tribes and their education agencies understand
their students cultural and academic needs best, this local authority would allow
tribes to efficiently and effectively reverse the negative academic outcomes currently
pertaining to Native students.
Capacity and Collaboration$5 million
As the BIE is increasingly able to support tribes and their education agencies,
BIE reform would be strengthened by providing funds for a competitive grant pilot
that incentivizes capacity building in tribally-controlled grant schools. This grant
program would be modeled on best practices from existing competitive grants in use
within the Department of Education. For $5 million, the BIE could participate in
a pilot to help spur urgent and abrupt systemic reform that will substantially improve student success, close achievement gaps, improve high school graduation
rates, and prepare students for success in college and careers.
The three-year competitive incentive-based grant, similar to existing Race to the
Top initiatives for which BIE continues to be excluded, would provide resources for
tribes to accelerate their local reforms and align education services to tribal education priorities that include language and culture as well as meet challenging academic standards. Further, performance metrics for the grant would include student
attendance rates, graduation rates, college enrollment rates, measures on educator
accountability, and performance on standardized assessments. In order to catalyze
reform efforts and create a set of high-performing, tribally-controlled grant schools,
the BIE would also provide on-going technical assistance to help build the capacity
of those schools that applied for, but did not receive, a grant.
Construction Funding$263.4 million
Similar to previous years, NIEA is requesting increased funding for BIE school
construction and repair with an allocation to be set at $263.4 million. That level ensures funds for new school construction, facilities improvement and repair, and replacement school construction. NIEA was excited to see new funding appropriated
by Congress in fiscal year 2014 and 2015 to begin work on the first phase of the
Beatrice Rafferty School located in Maine. However, it is time bring all vested
stakeholders to the table to work on a plan for providing enough resources to actually replace dilapidated BIE schools.
DOI Secretary Sally Jewell recently stated on March 25, 2014 before the House
of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies that, [DOI] is focusing more on the classrooms, than the buildings.
This limited concentration is unacceptable. As the first DOI budget under her leadership, the administrations budget request for replacement construction continues
to be inadequate. The administration must support efforts to drastically increase replacement funds and address the long-outdated list of more than 60 BIE school
buildings in disrepair and unsatisfactory conditions. The Federal Government understands the need to bring all DOD schools to a good or fair rating by 2018, yet
the BIE school system is ignored. While focusing on the classroom is to be applauded, no child can be expected to successfully learn while the structure around
them is potentially dangerous.

163
Tribal Grant Support Costs$73 million
NIEA was happy to see IHS and BIA contract support costs fully funded under
self-determination and self-governance this year. However, Public Law 100297
grant or Public Law 93638 self-determination contracted BIE schools were exempt
from full funding, which will result in budget shortfalls. Full funding for tribal grant
support costs in fiscal year 2015 and subsequent years is critical as these dollars
help tribes expand self-governance and tribal authority over education programs by
providing funds for administrative costs, such as accounting, payroll, and other legal
requirements. The BIA currently funds only 65 percent of support costs in the 125
tribally controlled schools and residential facilities under the BIE purview. This
forces schools to divert critical education funding in order to cover shortfalls in operational costs, which make it unrealistic to improve educational outcomes and bridge
the achievement gap among Native and non-Native students.
CONCLUSION

NIEA appreciates the opportunity to submit written testimony into the record and
we look forward to increasing the success of the BIE and tribes as they work together to educate Native students. Thank you again and if you have any questions,
please contact Ahniwake Rose, NIEA Executive Director, at arose@niea.org.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIONAL INSTITUTES

FOR

WATER RESOURCES

Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Murkowski: I am Brian Haggard, Director

of the Arkansas Water Resources Center at the University of Arkansas. Thank you
for the opportunity to testify on behalf of the National Institutes for Water Resources (NIWR), in support of the Water Resources Research Act program. The program is funded as part of the U.S. Geological Surveys budget. I specifically want
to thank you for the subcommittees continuing strong support for the Water Resources Research Act.
This year is the 50th anniversary of the Act. In 1959, a Senate select committee
was formed to investigate the adequacy of the Nations water resources. As a result
of its findings, a bill was introduced to create a national water resources research
program designed to expand and provide more effective coordination of the Nations
water research. The bill authorized the establishment of water resources research
institutes at land grant colleges in each State. On July 12, 1964, when President
Lyndon B. Johnson signed the bill into law he said,
The Water Resources Research Act of 1964, which I have approved today,
fills a vital need...it will create local centers of water research. It will enlist
the intellectual power of universities and research institutes in a nationwide effort to conserve and utilize our water resources for the common benefit.
The Act authorized the establishment of Water Resources Research Institutes in
each of the 50 States and Puerto Rico. Later, Institutes were authorized in Washington DC, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa. The Institutes
were created to fulfill 3 main objectives:
to develop through research new technology and more efficient methods for resolving local, State and national water resources problems;
to train water scientists and engineers through on-the-job participation in research; and
to facilitate water research coordination and the application of research results
by means of information dissemination and technology transfer.
Today the Water Resources Research Institutes, in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey, continue to fulfill the three roles assigned by Congress in 1964 They
have funded cutting-edge water research, have conducted innovative information
and technology transfer programs, and have provided training to over 25,000 students over their 50-year history.
The Water Resources Research Act program is a State-based network of institutes
dedicated to solving problems of water quantity (supply) and quality in partnership
with universities, local governments and the general public and is the only federally
authorized research network that focuses on applied water resources research, education, training and outreach. The institutes are a direct, vital link between Federal
water interests and needs and the academic expertise located within the States research universities. It provides a mechanism for ensuring State, regional and national coordination of water resources research, the education of future water professionals, and the transfer of results and outcomes to State and Federal water profes-

164
sionals. The matching requirements of the program ensure that each State invests
in water research and training.
The Water Resources Research Act established two grant components of the
USGS Water Resources Research Institutes program, where Federal funds cannot
be used to pay indirect costs at the universities. The first component is the base
grant program which is divided up equally among the institutes. The Act requires
that each Federal dollar must be matched by two non-Federal dollars, and this is
the strictest match requirement of any Federal research program. Each Institute
uses these funds to leverage research and/or student training through a statewide
competitive grants process. The National Institutes for Water Resources requests
the subcommittee to provide continued funding for the base grant program, which
provides grants focused on water supply and quality, technology transfer, professional education, and outreach to faculty at universities within each State. The base
program provides seed grants, which are used to develop future research proposals
and secure additional external funds.
The second grant component is a national competitive grants program, supporting
research on water resources problems that are regional or national in nature. In
2012 this program received 46 applications, which underwent rigorous peer review
from a national panel. The national review panel selected a total of six projects from
Alabama, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Oregon and West Virginia, addressing water
supply and quality issues facing our Nation.
The Water Resources Research Act is what holds all of this together. The Institutes specialize in identifying problems within their States, developing solutions to
those problems, and engaging with the public to implement those solutions. One of
the Institute programs greatest strengths is that the research funded by each Institute is tailored to that States needs, based on priorities set by consultation with
an advisory panel. These funded projects are State focused but also address water
issues relevant to our Nation. The following are several examples of research conducted and projects managed by Institutes across the country.
My Institute, the Arkansas Water Resources Center, has focused on how water
quality is changing over time, particularly in two watersheds where the poultry industry has been sued over elevated nutrients and aesthetic conditionsthe Illinois
River Watershed and Eucha-Spavinaw Basin. We used data collected through our
monitoring program, as well as by the U.S. Geological Survey, to show how nutrient
concentrations and loads in these critical watersheds have changed since the implementation of nutrient management practices in municipal wastewater treatment facilities and on the land. Our analysis clearly showed nutrients have decreased over
time, moving closer to our water quality goals. The institutional stability of my center and its base funding made it possible to manage long-term databases and
produce results.
The Rhode Island Water Resources Center has supported cutting-edge research on
industrial pretreatment of wastewater before it discharge to municipal facilities.
This research project produced a solution to the problem, developing a nano-technology based system capable of removing pollutants from industrial wastewater. The
system uses grapheme oxide and carbon nanotubes which are capable of adsorbing
high amounts of pollutants, and this polymer system is reusable. The research was
applied in nature, solving a real-world problem in a sustainable way.
The Alabama Water Resources Research Institute hosted the 2013 annual water
conference, focusing on the important role of Alabamas water resources in economic
development. Over 300 participants attended this event, including Governor Bentley
as the keynote speaker. This institute specializes in outreach activities, which has
also included the Tallapoosa Basin Conference, the Apalachicola-ChattahoocheeFlint (ACF) Stakeholders Conference, municipal and legislative assistance in water
resources planning, the Auburn University campus stormwater management plan,
and co-sponsoring water policy forums throughout the State.
The Alaska Water and Environmental Research Center at the University of Alaska-Fairbank has been collecting and analyzing critical hydrologic data needed for
planning a transportation corridor to the Ambler Mining District and the Umiat region north of Brooks Range. The river flow and ice measurements are essential information in the design bridges and environmental impact statements. This center
has established itself as an entity capable of collecting and evaluating hydrologic
data for projects in Alaskas most remote and challenging settings.
The California Institute for Water Resources has sponsored research on irrigation
efficiency, which is critical component of water conservation strategies as our climate continues to change. The researchers supported by the institute are collecting
data on transpiration, local weather conditions, and soil water retention and evaporation to identify trends that can be used to adjust irrigation methods for specific
crop needs; these researchers are also analyzing nearly 40 years of irrigation survey

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data to understand changes in irrigation methods across the State and over time.
This research quantifies the amount of water used, on which crops it was used, and
where those crops were locatedthe ultimate goal is to improve water conversation
and sustain crop yields.
The Maryland Water Resources Research Center has supported research that will
ultimately benefit the Marylands two most important economic resources, Agriculture and the Chesapeake Bay. With increasing food markets and interest in
biofuels, agriculture production is expanding and changing along with environmental impacts such as nitrogen, phosphorus and sediment input into the bay. This
research projects developed low-cost anaerobic digesters that treat dairy manure
while producing methane as a source of renewable energytransforming animal
waste into an environmental and economic benefit for the Chesapeake Bay region.
The Montana Water Center at Montana State University has funded research
projects on the health of wetland ecosystems, and how fluctuations in the amount
of evapotranspiration and groundwater available influence this important aquatic
resource. Groundwater and evapotranspiration are two unknowns in any water
budget and are often ignored in regional groundwater flow models. This research
has used the Gartside Reservoir prairie fen to model groundwater availability and
evapotranspiration and developed methods for defining aquifer conditions affecting
evapotranspiration.
The New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute played a leadership role in
developing the U.S.-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program, which allows the Interior Department and the U.S. Geological Survey to cooperate with the
Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas Water Resources research Institutes, State water
agencies, and other relevant entities to characterize, map and model hydrogeology
of community groundwater supplies. This program provides essential information
and a scientific foundation for State and local officials to address pressing water resources challenges in this border region, such as declining water levels, deteriorating water quality, and increasing demand.
The Oregon Institute for Water and Watersheds has focused on the emerging
problem of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). These blooms are caused by blue-green
algae (cyanobacteria) that naturally occur in surface water, but given the right environmental conditions and nutrient supply can multiply quickly into problematic
blooms. As these algal blooms die off, toxins are released into waters posing an environmental and human health concern. Researchers at Oregon State University were
funded by this institute to fill information gaps, modeling the formation of these
blooms and increasing our understanding of environmental factors influencing the
occurrence of these blooms in drinking water supply reservoirs.
Agricultural subsurface drainage has increased dramatically in South Dakota during the last several years. The South Dakota Water Resources Institute is using satellite-based remote sensing technology to compare, side-by-side, crop water use from
fields with and without tile drainage. Understanding this difference in water use
helps quantify crop yield responses to drainage, economic return on investment and
impacts on the hydrology within each field. The information is being used by agricultural producers and natural resources managers from local, State and Federal
agencies alike to help implement best management practices that maintain and improve agricultural production while minimizing negative environmental impacts.
For five decades the Water Resources Research Institutes have provided significant research results and impacts to our Nation, and proved successful at bringing
new water professionals into the work force. NIWR recommends the subcommittee
provide $8,800,000 to the USGS for the Water Resources Research Institute Program for fiscal year 2015. The water institute directors recognize the fiscal challenges facing the Nation and Congress, but we want to support the USGS Coalition
request that Congress appropriate at least the $1.2 billion requested for the USGS
in fiscal year 2015, a level that will support critical programs that improve the Nations environment, health, safety, quality of life, and future economic growth.
Thank you, on behalf of all the institute directors and the National Institutes for
Water Resources, for the opportunity to testify and for the subcommittees strong
support of the Water Resources Research Act program. It is greatly appreciated.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION

Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Murkowski, and members of the subcommittee,

thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony on behalf of the National Parks
Conservation Association (NPCA). Since 1919, NPCA has been the leading independent voice in support of enhancing, protecting and promoting Americas National
Park System for people from all walks of life to learn from and enjoynow and into

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the future. On behalf of our 800,000 members and supporters from every State in
the Union, I appreciate the opportunity to provide our views regarding the Park
Service budget for the upcoming fiscal year. NPCA requests for fiscal year 2015 appropriated funding for the National Park Service of $2,623,646,000, which is equal
to the Presidents appropriated request but rejecting his request to reduce National
Heritage Area Funding by $9,087,000. This includes NPCAs priorities this year of
meetingat a minimumthe Presidents request for a $47 million increase in park
operations, and $10 million in appropriated funds for the Centennial Challenge.
We fully appreciate the tremendous challenge you face in setting reasonable, responsible spending priorities for the varied Federal agencies and programs under
your subcommittees jurisdiction when the goal of substantially reducing the level
of Federal spending has driven so much of the political discourse and agenda. We
share the hope that the budget and appropriations cycle now underway for fiscal
year 2015 might signal a return to a more orderly and reasonable process, particularly with the landmark centennial of the National Park System fast approaching.
Providing adequate funding is more than simply another expenditure; it is an investment in our Nations future with tangible returns that are particularly significant now as we continue to recover from a long economic downturn. The Government shutdown demonstrated the economic importance of national parks to gateway
communities. According to the Interior Department, these communities lost $414
million in visitor spending alone during the 16-day shutdown. Investments in the
Park Service budget support robust economic activity:
Every dollar invested in the National Park Service yields ten dollars in economic activity;
National parks support nearly $27 billion in economic activity annually and
nearly a quarter million private sector jobs; and
Of the 25 most popular travel destinations in the United States, eight are units
of the National Park System.
The budget situation for the National Park Service for the past several years has
been like a roller coaster ride, headed mostly down. Over recent months and years,
the Park Service and the national treasures entrusted to their care have been damaged by compounded budget cuts. So has the experience and enjoyment of the people
who visit them. The October 2013 16-day Government shutdown came on top of an
ongoing pattern of declining budgets followed by the damaging and indiscriminate
across-the-board cuts mandated by the sequester. The budget to operate the national parks has been cut by nearly 8 percent in todays dollars compared to 4 years
ago. That is on top of many years of chronic underfunding for park operations that
have resulted in operations shortfalls ranging from estimates of from $500 million
to as much as $800 million annually. Over the past decade, the National Park Service construction budget has been cut by over $272 million, or 66 percent in todays
dollars. This has compounded the years of underfunding, resulting in todays nearly
$12 billion backlog. That underfunding is due to actions and inactions over many
congresses, and by both political parties.
The maintenance backlog is attributable to chronic funding deficiencies in several
categories, including operations, transportation and construction. These deficiencies
have forced park managers to make choices between what needs to be done and
what absolutely must be done immediately to keep facilities up and running and
visitors safe. The longer needed repairs and maintenance to facilities are put off,
the more expensive and difficult they become.
The result of this long-term budget roller coaster, particularly during the sequester but not limited to it, has been:
parks and park facilities opening later and closing earlier or more frequently;
fewer park rangers and other staff protecting and maintaining parks;
visitor centers operating with fewer rangers or closing altogether for lack of
staff;
compromised science and resource protection and decreased cyclical maintenance;
fewer backcountry patrols to ensure visitor safety and prevent poaching and
looting; and
other impacts that compromise resources and public enjoyment and safety.
To be sure, park managers have done the best they can to weather the many
rounds of budget reductions. There has been some level of savings through employee
attrition, but superintendents will tell you that while operating a park with insufficient staff can be managed in the short term, it simply cant be sustained over the
long run. At some point the consequences become evident, compromising the parks
ability to protect resources from damages, keep visitors safe and provide adequate
visitor services. Director Jarvis recently testified before this subcommittee that the
proposed fiscal year 2015 investment in park operations would return some seasonal

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rangers to our parks, but pointed out that under the proposal only half of those lost
seasonal rangers would return. Clearly, more work is needed to bring our national
parks and the men and women who steward them back to where they once were.
The real question for fiscal year 2015 is whether progress will occur in getting
the National Park System in the shape it should to begin its next century in a manner consistent with the pride Americans feel for our heritage and our national treasures. fiscal year 2015 is an opportunity for Congress to help answer that question,
since it is a critical year to begin preparing for 2016. In light of that, the administration has proposed a multi-year centennial initiative that builds on the one proposed by the Bush administration. Recognizing the magnitude of the challenge
posed by the backlog, the administration proposes that legislation be enacted to
begin reducing the backlog on a mandatory basis. They also propose to renew the
Centennial Challengea program familiar to this subcommittee from the Bush/
Kempthorne erain an amount identical to that proposed by the Bush administration. This subcommittee can play a significant role in promoting such an initiative
and in educating others about why it is necessary, and we stand ready to help in
that effort. A Centennial Initiative that attacks the backlog would produce needed
construction jobs while restoring Americas treasures. And the Centennial Challenge
can help the national parks capitalize on the attention the centennial will bring to
attract donations from private and other non-Federal sources. The fact that Presidents Bush and Obama both have supported renewing our parks in connection with
the centennial provides further evidence of the nonpartisan appeal of the parks, and
we hope that Congress will seize upon its role in formulating a legacy that will last
for the next century.
As a down-payment on enactment of Centennial Challenge legislation, we ask
that the subcommittee appropriate at least as much as the administration request
$10 millionif not more. This subcommittee has noted the importance of matching
funds and has drafted report language to that effect. The Centennial Challenge program would leverage important dollars to support signature projects at parks
throughout the country. Its a wise investment.
As for park operations, we have consistently noted to this subcommittee NPCAs
view that this account should be prioritized. The proposed operations increase would
provide funding to enhance the visitor experience, better connect young people with
their natural and cultural heritage, and put more rangers to work addressing overdue maintenance needs. We recognize as Director Jarvis did that the proposed increase is insufficient to return ranger levels to where they should be, but it is a welcome step in the right direction. There is a direct connection between those popular
rangers, the enjoyment of visitors, and correspondingly the economies of surrounding communities that depend on those visitors having a safe and inspiring experience.
We also support the administrations request of $192.2 million for the Land and
Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a critical tool for protecting our national parks.
Since it was first enacted, with a dedicated stream of revenue in place from offshore
oil and gas leasing in Federal waters, the LWCF has realized its full $900 million
envisioned level only once in 49 years. Park Service LWCF funding has declined
from $126 million in fiscal year 2010 to less than $100 million in fiscal year 2014,
a decline of more than 20 percent. We believe in the healthy, rewarding recreational
opportunities that LWCF was intended to provide. The completion of existing national park units by purchasing inholdings from willing sellers will often make park
administration and resource management more efficient and cost effective, thereby
freeing up money for to other needs.
We also respect the constraints that both the PILT program and wildfire suppression needs have caused for this subcommittees allocation, and hope they can be
dealt with so that there are more dollars available to appropriate to our national
parks and other pressing needs. Were pleased to be a supporteramong so many
other diverse stakeholdersof the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act. We are urging
Congress to move this important legislation forward.
We respect the importance of enhancing this subcommittees 302(b) allocation so
as chair of the Green Group appropriations team, I have spearheaded community
efforts to emphasize this need.
Finally, we urge an extension of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act,
which was extended last year through the end of fiscal year 2015 in the bill that
reopened the Federal Government. Unfortunately, with the likelihood of authorizing
legislation passing both houses this year in question, we ask that you another 1
year extension be included in this years conference bill, to ensure that the National
Park Service retains annual fee authority at the end of this calendar year.
Mr. Chairman, it seems as if there is always a good deal of talk on Capitol Hill
about what the American people want and what the American people expect and

168
deserve, and so on. Recent events have made the views of the American people
about their national parks as clear as ever. Their love affair with the national parks
spans time, region, economic status and political persuasion. During the Government shutdown, we heard from the American people how much they love the parks
and want them open and well-staffed. Polling we have previously shared with this
committee conducted by Hart Research Associates and North Star Opinion Research
indicated that 9 out of 10 likely voters agree that funding for our national parks
should be held stable or increased. A bipartisan majority of Americans (73 percent)
believe it is important that the parks are fully restored and ready for the national
park centennial in 2016.
As that milestone 100th anniversary approaches, the national parks will be more
and more at the forefront of peoples minds, and more and more Americans will be
drawn to visit a national park or park unit, as will many others from around the
world. Will Americans be proud of what they find? Will pride in our heritage and
shared experience be evident when they visit? If the parks they visit are not in a
condition worthy of their legacy, who will they blame?
Overall, the budget for the National Park Service constitutes less that 1/15th of
one 1 percent of the entire Federal budget, and our research shows that the average
American household pays roughly as much in taxes for their national parks as it
would cost them to buy a large coffee at Starbucks. Surely we can find a way to
meet this important Federal responsibility to restore our parks during the lead-up
to the parks 100th anniversary. Now more than ever, taking care of the national
parks should be a priority. We thank this subcommittee for its leadership and are
eager to work with you to ensure our national parks are protected this year, and
for generations to come.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIONAL RECREATION

AND

PARK ASSOCIATION

Thank you Chairman Reed, Senator Murkowski, and other honorable members of
the subcommittee for the opportunity to submit written testimony pertaining to
funding for the Land and Water Conservation Funds (LWCF) State Assistance Program and the Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery Program (UPARR) in the fiscal
year (FY) 2015 Interior Appropriations bill.
OVERVIEW OF FUNDING REQUEST

As outlined below, we encourage you to renew the Federal investment in the

LWCF. However, given that the purpose of the Act is to help preserve, develop, and
assure access to outdoor recreation facilities to strengthen the health of U.S. citizens, we urge you to make a greater investment in States and local communities
by:
Allocating a minimum of 40 percent of fiscal year 2015 LWCF appropriations
to the State Assistance Program;
Continuing the innovative, pilot Competitive Grant Program began in fiscal
year 2014;
Allocating up to $25 million in funding for UPARR out of total fiscal year 2015
LWCF appropriations; and
Ensuring that any amount allocated to either the pilot Competitive grant or
UPARR program is not done at the expense of the existing core formula grants
distributed to the States for public recreation.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is a nonprofit organization

working to advance parks, recreation and environmental conservation efforts nationwide. Our members touch the lives of every American in every community every
day. Through our network of approximately 40,000 citizen and professional members we represent park and recreation departments in cities, counties, townships,
special park districts, and regional park authorities, along with citizens concerned
with ensuring close-to-home access to parks and recreation opportunities exist in
their communities. Everything we support and do is focused through our three pillars: Conservation; Health & Wellness and Social Equity.
40 PERCENT ALLOCATION OF TOTAL LWCF APPROPRIATIONS TO THE STATE ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM

There is a common misconception that LWCF is merely a Federal land acquisition

program. Nothing could be further from the truth, as the LWCF State Assistance
Program provides dollar-for-dollar matching grants to States and local communities

169
for the construction of outdoor recreation projects. The land purchased with LWCF
State Assistance funding remains the property of the State or local government, and
the resources developed through the LWCF remain publicly accessible in perpetuity.
The LWCF provides numerous benefits to local communities across America, and
it does so through a well-recognized and dedicated funding sourcenamely oil and
gas leasing revenues. Over $6 billion a year is provided through these leases, with
a small fraction provided to the LWCF. Unfortunately an even smaller fraction is
provided to the State Assistance Program. This is in large part due to the fact that
current law mandates that a minimum of 40 percent of the total LWCF annual appropriations must be provided to the Federal land acquisition program without
specifying an amount for the State Assistance Program.
As a result, States and local communities have historically received a very disproportionate share of the total LWCF appropriations, with little more than 10 percent of total LWCF funding going to the State Assistance Program since 1998. More
recently, in fiscal year 2012, you provided approximately $322 million for the
LWCF, with $45 million, or 13 percent, allocated to the State Assistance program.
Further, in fiscal year 2013, when final discretionary spending was subject to sequestration, you provided $305 million overall to the LWCF and $39.9 million to
the State Assistance Programalso 13 percent.1 We appreciate that youve recently
recognized the importance of the State Assistance Program and allocated a larger
percentage of total LWCF appropriations to it in fiscal year 2014pre-sequestration
levels of $45 million, as well as the innovative $3 million competitive grant program.
For nearly 50 years, however, the bulk of the work to carry out purpose of the
Act has fallen on local communities to handle alone. For the reasons outlined below,
we are asking you to empower States and local communities to do more to preserve,
develop, and assure access to outdoor recreation facilities to strengthen our Nation
by allocating 40 percent of total LWCF appropriations to the State Assistance Program in fiscal year 2015.
LWCF STATE ASSISTANCES RETURN ON INVESTMENT AND RETURN ON OBJECTIVE

One of the key aspects of the LWCF State Assistance Program is the ability to
create jobs. The outdoor recreation industry, as such is supported by LWCF State
Assistance, is an economic powerhouse in the United States. According to the Outdoor Industry Association, the industry generates $646 billion in consumer spending
and supports over 6 million jobs annually.2 Impressively, this section of the economy
continues to grow even during the ongoing economic recession, and thus has enormous potential to immediately create new jobs. For example, the Outdoor Industry
Association reported in October 2011 that the outdoor recreation industry grew at
a rate of 5 percent annually between 2005 and 2011. Considering there are 7,800
State and over 100,000 locally managed parks throughout the country, it is obvious
that outdoor recreation is most prevalent at the State and local level. In fact, the
National Association of State Park Directors reports that Americas State park system contributes $20 billion to local and State economies each year.3 There is no
doubt, that it is the LWCF State Assistance Program that provides the places,
spaces, and opportunities for outdoor recreation which stimulates the outdoor industry.
When viewed through the lens of the importance of the American outdoor recreation industry, the LWCF State Assistance Program has, for more than four decades, achieved a proven return on investment (ROI) demonstrated by the fact that
nearly $4 billion in Federal support has leveraged over $4 billion additional dollars
in matching funds. But the benefits of this program, dont stop there, as the State
Assistance Program has not only provided a ROI, but has also done a tremendous
job of providing an outstanding return on objective for the American taxpayer by
ensuring access for all.
It is well known that not everyone has the ability to visit one of our treasured
national parks, and even those who do so are unable to on a regular basis as national parks are often vacation destinations or once-in-a-lifetime trips. To the average American, however, the neighborhood parkdown the street, open and accessible to the public, and without an admission feeis the most important public
space in their lives. Many of our countrys local places, spaces, and opportunities
1 Amounts reflect amounts provided through appropriations and do not reflect sequestration
reduction.
2 Outdoor Industry Association, The Outdoor Recreation Economy Report 2012.
3 NASPD Annual Report, March 2013.

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for outdoor recreation are provided through this program, with more than 40,000
grant projects located in every county across America.
The State Assistance Program is the only Federal investment tool dedicated to ensuring that Americans have access to local public recreation opportunities. Because
the LWCF State Assistance Program provides close-to-home recreation opportunities, millions of Americans, young and old, are annually connected with nature and
provided the ability to be physically active and simply enjoy a life that they may
otherwise be denied.
The LWCF State Assistance Program ensures that local communities, such as the
Thurmont, Maryland and Talladega, Alabama have places where adults and children can go to recreate and enjoy the outdoors. It is a means by which this committee can provide investment to critically important local parks, including: Elmore
State Park in Vermont; the new soccer field at Sisterhood Park in Anchorage, Alaska; and Lions Park in Bismarck, North Dakota. Each of the aforementioned communities benefited from State Assistance grant funding since 2012.
LWCF STATE ASSISTANCE PROVIDES HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

In addition to creating jobs and ensuring access for all, the LWCF State Assistance Program delivers tangible health benefits, contributing to the overall health
and well-being of Americans.
The National Park Service (NPS) recognizes this through its Healthy Parks
Healthy People U.S. initiative, which aims to increase public recognition of parks
and public lands (including State, local, and regional park and trail systems) as
places for the promotion of physical, mental, and social health. The CDC reports
that childhood obesity has tripled in the last 30 years, less than 25 percent of adults
engage in recommended levels of physical activity, and that obesity is a leading
cause of chronic disease. As noted by the CDC, increased access to parks, green
space, and recreation opportunities is essential to becoming a healthier Nation and
reducing unsustainable healthcare costs.
The LWCF State Assistance Program also significantly contributes to protecting
the environment and promoting environmental stewardship. LWCF State Assistance
projects have a historical record of contributing to reduced and delayed stormwater
runoff volumes, enhanced groundwater recharge, stormwater pollutant reductions,
reduced sewer overflow events, increased carbon sequestration, urban heat island
mitigation and reduced energy demands, resulting in improved air quality, increased wildlife habitat, and increased land values on the local level.
REVITALIZING URBAN PARKS AND RECREATION THROUGH FUNDING OF UPARR

While the LWCF has indeed benefited virtually every community in the country,
many of our Nations cities and urbanized counties face distinct challenges that require additional resources. Recognizing this fact as well as the importance of public
parks and recreation to larger urban renewal and community development efforts,
Congress established the Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery Program (UPARR)
to provide matching grants directly to localities in metropolitan areas. Over the
course of more than two decades UPARR provided $272 million for nearly 1,500
projects in 380 communities. This enabled neighborhoods across the country to restore both outdoor and indoor recreation facilities; support innovative recreational
programming and enhance delivery of services and programs that provided constructive alternatives to at-risk youth.
Despite its successes, UPARR has not been funded since fiscal year 2002, yet
many of the urban open space and recreation challenges still exist today. NRPA is
very pleased to see UPARR in the Presidents fiscal year 2015 budget and calls on
Congress to update and fund this needed program to enable metropolitan areas to
address quality of life, health and wellness, and conservation issues as they improve
their communities and make them more attractive for families and businesses alike.
Both LWCF State Assistance and UPARR are critical to providing Americans close
to home recreation opportunities. The programs complement each other and NRPA
implores Congress to fund UPARR from total LWCF appropriations but not at the
expense of the already underfunded State Assistance Program.
MAINTAINING THE PILOT COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM TO THE STATE ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM

The final fiscal year 2014 Interior Appropriations package included an additional $3 million of funding for a pilot Competitive Grant Program managed
under the State Assistance Program. NRPA is pleased that NPS has sought our
input as part of their efforts to craft this pilot initiative and is very optimistic that
the first year of the program will prove a successful means of highlighting the inno-

171
vative projects and partnerships the State Assistance Program provides across
America. We support the continuation of this pilot initiative, provided the funds allocated are not done at the expense of the existing core formula grants distributed
to the States for public recreation.
Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, few programs can address so many
national priorities as effectively as the LWCF State Assistance Program and
UPARR do, with so few dollars and without negatively impacting the Federal budget. This subcommittee and Congress have the rare opportunity to achieve national
goals without increasing spending or adding to the deficit, and can do so by adopting
three simple recommendations: Allocate a minimum of 40 percent of LWCF funding
to the State Assistance Program; continue the innovative Competitive Grant pilot
program established in 2014, and address the need for improved infrastructure in
urban areas by allocating a portion of the total LWCF funding to UPARR.
Thank you again for the opportunity to share NRPAs recommendations and your
consideration of our request.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIONAL TRUST

FOR

HISTORIC PRESERVATION

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, I appreciate this opportunity

to present the National Trust for Historic Preservations recommendations for fiscal
year 2015 appropriations. My name is Thomas J. Cassidy, Jr. and I am the vice
president for government relations and policy. The National Trust is a privatelyfunded nonprofit organization chartered by Congress in 1949. We work to save
Americas historic places to enrich our future. With headquarters in Washington,
DC, 13 field offices, 27 historic sites, 746,000 members and supporters and partner
organizations in 50 States, territories, and the District of Columbia, the National
Trust works to save Americas historic places and advocates for historic preservation
as a fundamental value in programs and policies at all levels of government.
The Nation faces a challenging fiscal environment. The National Trust recognizes
there is a need for fiscal restraint and cost-effective Federal investments. However,
we do not believe that preservation, conservation and recreation programs should
suffer from disproportionate funding reductions. We look forward to working with
you, Mr. Chairman, as you address the ongoing needs for investments to sustain our
Nations rich heritage of cultural and historic resources that generate lasting economic vitality for communities throughout the Nation.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND

The Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) is the principal source of funding to implement the Nations historic preservation programs. Like the Land and Water Conservation Fund, its dedicated revenues are generated from oil and gas development
on the Outer Continental Shelf.
The National Park Service distributes HPF grants that are matched by State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices
(THPOs). Inadequate HPF funding limits support for preservation activities such as
survey, nomination of properties to the National Register of Historic Places, public
education, and project review for undertakings under the National Historic Preservation Act and for the Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit (HTC). The HTC
is the most significant Federal investment in historic preservation. It has catalyzed
the rehabilitation of more than 39,600 buildings throughout the Nation. Since its
creation more than 30 years ago, the HTC has created 2.4 million jobs and leveraged nearly $109 billion in private investment.
The National Trust recommends at least $50 million for the SHPOs and at least
$11 million for the THPOs. Such a modest increase in funding would recognize the
continuing demand upon these agencies for preservation services, and addresses an
increase in participation among THPOs from 131 tribes in fiscal year 2012 to potentially 156 tribes in fiscal year 2015.
We thank the subcommittee for including $500,000 in the fiscal year 2014 Omnibus bill to launch an important new program of competitive grants for the survey
and nomination of properties associated with communities currently underrepresented in the National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks. Recent studies have documented that less than 8 percent of such listings
identify culturally diverse properties. We urge the subcommittee to provide up to
$5 million to expand this important new program that promises to identify and protect the places that tell the stories of all Americans.
We also want to call attention to the importance of the administrations request
for $6 million to provide grants to SHPOs and THPOs to digitize legacy survey data
into an online National Inventory. This investment would improve access to historic

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property records and help expedite Federal permitting of important infrastructure
projects. We encourage the subcommittee to support this program included in the
Presidents Opportunity, Growth and Security Initiative.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM, CULTURAL
RESOURCES STEWARDSHIP

The National Park Service (NPS) is responsible for 401 units of the National Park
System ranging from the battlefields where our ancestors fought and died to places
that stir the soul like the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the gateway for millions of new Americans. Three-quarters of our parks were created to protect our
most important historic and cultural resources. Over the past two decades, more
than 35 new parks have been added to our system of national parks. Many of these
new parks preserve historic places and themes that are underrepresented within the
National Park System.
We support the Presidents budget proposal of $47 million above the fiscal year
2014 enacted level for National Park Service Operations. Of that increase, $30 million is for the Administrations Centennial Initiative which includes $16 million for
repair and rehabilitation projects, $8 million for a new program to hire youth and
veterans at parks, $4 million to engage youth in service and conservation projects
and $2 million to support expanded volunteer opportunities at parks. The increase
would fund the staff, rangers and interpretation vital to the public who visit and
enjoy our ever-growing National Park System including new units like Fort Monroe
National Monument (VA), Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument (MD) and Cesar E. Chavez National Monument (CA).
Construction.Of the nearly $12.311 billion in deferred maintenance needed for
the NPS, $4.5 billion is for the maintenance backlog on 27,000 properties in National Park units listed on the National Register of Historic Places. According to a
report issued in 2008 by the National Academy of Public Administration, more than
40 percent of historic buildings and structures in our national parks are in fair or
poor condition. Without funding, the condition of these properties will continue to
deteriorate and become more expensive to repair and preserve in the future. The
National Park Service Construction account has been significantly reduced over the
last few years. We support the Presidents fiscal year 2015 request of $138 million,
a slight increase over fiscal year 2014. We also support the Presidents request that
this fund be used for the repair and stabilization of important historic structures
as opposed to new construction.
We are also supportive of the Presidents proposed mandatory appropriation of
$200 million for the Second Century Infrastructure Investment and $100 million for
the Centennial Challenge. These proposals would provide funds for the maintenance
and rehabilitation of significant cultural and historic resources within our national
parks.
One promising new opportunity that will help the NPS and other Federal agencies with historic preservation responsibilities address the maintenance backlog of
historic buildings is through a cooperative agreement between NPS, the other Federal land agencies, and several NGOs, including the Student Conservation Association and The Corps Network. Through this agreement, college interns, trade school
students, and out of work youth and veterans would be trained in the preservation
skills necessary to perform preservation work in the parks and other Federal lands.
While learning these hands-on skills, participants will also perform cost-effective
preservation work to support historic resources.
ENGAGING THE NEXT GENERATION

The National Trust supports the administrations fiscal year 2015 request of $50.6
million for the Departments youth programs, a significant increase of $13.6 million
in programs over 2014 enacted funding levels. Of these funds, $8 million is proposed
to expand opportunities for youth education and employment across NPS parks and
programs. As part of our commitment to advancing the goals of the 21st Century
Conservation Service Corps, and interest in helping the Federal Government reduce
the maintenance backlog of historic properties, the National Trust recently launched
the HOPE (Hands-On Preservation Experience) Crew initiative where we will train
youth in preservation skills while helping protect historic sites within NPS units.
The first HOPE Crew project, in the Shenandoah National Park in collaboration
with concessionaire Delaware North Companies, is rehabilitating the historic
Skyland Stable in the Skyline Drive National Historic Landmark District. The National Trust hopes to launch 100 HOPE Crew projects by the NPS Centennial in
2016. Volunteer projects like this can reduce the maintenance backlog while also
providing job skills and education for young people.

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NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: LEASING HISTORIC STRUCTURES IN NATIONAL PARKS

We appreciate the Committees inclusion of report language in the fiscal year 2014
Conference Report applaud the efforts of NPS and private partners to successfully
implement such leases and encouraging the broader use of this authority to mitigate
the maintenance backlog of historic structures. Continued encouragement and oversight of the Services actions to implement policy changes that would facilitate more
leasing could catalyze even broader use of this important authority and increase the
amount of non-Federal funding to abate the maintenance backlog.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: NATIONAL HERITAGE AREAS

We recommend funding for National Heritage Areas (NHAs) at the fiscal year
2014 enacted level or higher. The administrations repeated proposals to reduce
NHA funding, justified as encouraging self-sufficiency, would severely impair the
sustainability of the program and the individual NHAs that Congress has established. National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis has described National Heritage
Areas as places where small investments pay huge dividends. We agree.
During these challenging economic times, every program that receives Federal
funding needs to justify its worth and deliver substantial benefits to the American
public. NHAs more than meet this test. A recent report documents that since the
program was created in 1984, the economic activity generated through NHAs supports approximately 148,000 jobs and $1.2 billion annually in Federal taxes. The
economic benefits of NHAs are realized through tourism and visitation, operational
expenditures, and issuing grants and support. NHAs on average leverage every Federal dollar into $5.50 of additional public and private investment.
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT: NATIONAL LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION SYSTEM

The Bureau of Land Managements (BLM) National Landscape Conservation System (National Conservation Lands) includes 27 million acres of congressionally and
presidentially designated lands, including National Monuments, National Conservation Areas, Wilderness, Wilderness Study Areas, National Scenic and Historic
Trails, and Wild and Scenic Rivers.
As the Nations newest system of protected lands, the National Conservation
Lands encompass some of our countrys most significant historic and cultural resources, yet the BLMs ability to steward these resources is undermined by insufficient funding. The National Conservation Lands are just one-tenth of BLM managed
lands but they host one-third of all BLMs visitors. Without sufficient funding, the
BLM struggles to complete essential resource protection, such as signing trails,
inventorying and protecting cultural sites from looting and vandalism.
We support the administrations fiscal year 2015 request of $66.534 million, a $2
million increase over fiscal year 2014 enacted, in order to prevent critical damage
to the resources found in these areas, ensure proper management and provide for
a quality visitor experience. This funding level would enable BLM to hire essential
management and law enforcement staff, monitor and protect natural and cultural
resources, close unauthorized routes that damage fragile cultural sites and undertake needed ecosystem and species restoration projects.
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT: CULTURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

The BLM oversees the largest, most diverse and scientifically important collection
of historic and cultural resources on our Nations public lands, including 10 million
artifacts, 358,000 documented cultural sites, 421 maintained historic structures and
87 properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The program provides for the review of 13,000 land use proposals each year, compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and government-to-government consultation with Indian Tribes and Alaska Native governments. In the last
decade, this program has lost 19 percent of its FTEs due to the stagnant budget,
yet it is challenged with even greater processing reviews for increased energy use,
transmission lines and public recreation. If the funding for this program had kept
pace with inflation since fiscal year 2003 it would receive funding of $19.1 million
instead of the fiscal year 2014 enacted $15.1 million. We support the administrations fiscal year 2015 request of $16 million, a modest increase of $.87 million over
fiscal year 2014 enacted levels of $15.1 million. The increase provides for $.13 million for fixed costs and $.74 million to support efforts to fulfill BLMs statutory requirements for the inventory and protection of cultural resources. The increase
would support 40 on-the-ground surveys, site protection and stabilization projects,
and regional cultural resource inventory overviews that are necessary for planning
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LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND (LWCF)

The National Trust supports robust funding for the Land and Water Conservation
Fund. Many of the Nations most significant historic and cultural landscapes have
been permanently protected through LWCF investments, including Gettysburg National Military Park, Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site, Canyons of the
Ancients National Monument, and Harpers Ferry National Historic Park. Culturally
significant projects in the fiscal year 2015 request include Ala Kahakai NHT (Hawaii), Rappahannock River NWR (Virginia), Agua Fria National Monument (Arizona) and several other national trails project. We strongly support the administrations request for Civil War land acquisition projects and American Battlefield Protection Program Grants.
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION

The National Trust supports the administrations funding request of $6.204 million for the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP). We suggest the subcommittee include report language recommending the President appoint a full-time
Chairman. Such a recommendation was made by the ACHP membership at its November, 2011 meeting, as did a task force of historic preservation organizations, including the National Trust. We believe a full-time Chairman would enhance the effectiveness of the ACHP.
Thank you for the opportunity to present the National Trusts recommendations
for the fiscal year 2015 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations
bill.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION

On behalf of the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), the Nations largest member-based conservation advocacy and education organization, and our more than
four million members and supporters, we thank you for the opportunity to provide
fiscal year 2015 funding recommendations for the Department of the Interior and
other agencies under the jurisdiction of this subcommittee.
We understand the difficult budget choices facing Congress and the Nation as we
move forward under the constraints of the Budget Control Act of 2011 (Public Law
11225), and applaud Congress for replacing part of sequestration in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014. Disproportionate cuts to conservation programs
are not consonant with the priorities of most Americans. These programs protect
cherished lands and waters and conserve the natural resources that are vital to our
Nations continued economic vitality. Recent studies estimate that outdoor recreation and conservation account for $1.06 trillion in overall economic activity and
support 9.4 million jobs each year. Outdoor recreation alone generates more than
$49 billion in annual Federal tax revenue.
NWF is concerned about proposed funding reductions to many of the Federal Governments programs that protect and conserve fish and wildlife, sustaining and restoring important ecosystems, and maintaining clean air and water. Perhaps of even
greater concern are efforts to rewrite the Nations landmark environmental laws
through the use of policy riders on the appropriations bill. National Wildlife Federation urges the subcommittee to make the necessary investments in our essential
conservation and environmental programs and commitments in the fiscal year 2015
appropriations bill, and to pass a bill free of such riders.
National Wildlife Federation is overall supportive of the Presidents fiscal year
2015 budget request, which we view as balancing fiscal responsibility with continued investments in essential conservation and environmental programs. Following,
we offer recommendations for specific budget items and programs.
I. U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

State and Tribal Wildlife Grants

The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program is the Nations core program for
preventing wildlife from becoming endangered in every State. We are extremely concerned about the impact on the Nations wildlife of the nearly 30 percent cut this
program has suffered in recent years. We urge Congress to honor its commitment
to this effort by maintaining funding at the fiscal year 2014 enacted level of $58.695
million.
Cooperative Landscape Conservation
The Fish and Wildlife Services Landscape Conservation Cooperatives represent
an important tool for leveraging Federal, State, and private resources to achieve ef-

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fective conservation outcomes and safeguard fish and wildlife resources from climate
change. We urge Congress to address the real threats of climate change to fish and
wildlife and support the Presidents request of $17.7 million for this program.
National Wildlife Refuge System
The National Wildlife Refuge System is home to thousands of species of wildlife.
With over 560 refuges, this system provides outdoor recreational and tourism opportunities for the 46.5 million Americans who visit refuges annually. And for every
$1 invested by Congress, refuges generate over $4 in economic benefits to local communities. NWF, along with the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement
(CARE), endorses the Presidents fiscal year 2015 funding request of $476.4 million
for Operations and Maintenance for the National Wildlife Refuge System.
II. U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Climate and Land Use Change

The USGS Climate and Land Use Change program provides research that allows
other land management agencies to make science-based decisions important to resiliency and adaptation regarding climate change. We support the Presidents requested funding level of $149.1 million for Climate and Land Use, and of $35.5 million for the DOI Climate Science Centers.
Ecosystems
The USGS Ecosystems program provides research that allows other land management agencies to make science-based decisions important to the conservation of our
Nations wildlife and the habitats they depend upon. We support the Presidents
budget request of $162 million for this program.
III. BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

Trust Natural Resources Program

The BIA Trust Natural Resources (TNR) Program represents the largest amount
of Federal funding for tribal natural resource management. Over the last 12 fiscal
years, funding for BIA has unacceptably lagged behind funding for other Interior
agencies. Funding these programs should be a top priority of Congress for fiscal
year 2015. In addition, we fully support the fiscal year 2014 enacted level of
$184.295 million for TNR. We are particularly supportive of the $9.948 million requested funding for tribal participation in the Cooperative Landscape Conservation
program to support tribal engagement in climate adaptation.
IV. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

National Landscape Conservation System

The National Landscape Conservation System comprises some 27 million acres of
congressionally and presidentially designated lands and waters, including National
Monuments, National Conservation Areas, Wilderness, National Scenic and Historic
Trails, and Wild and Scenic Rivers. These lands are some of the best places to experience the rich history and scenic beauty of the American West. We ask Congress
to support the Presidents fiscal year 2015 request of $66.5 million for the National
Conservation Lands in order to prevent critical damage to the resources found in
these areas, ensure proper management, and provide for a quality visitor experience.
Master Leasing Plan
The Master Leasing Plan concept is a cornerstone of onshore oil and gas program
reforms announced by the Department of the Interior in 2010 and represent a positive step in restoring recognition of the fish and wildlife values on public lands. National Wildlife Federation, as part of the Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development coalition, strongly supports the administrations requested increase of $4.6
million to strengthen the oil and gas leasing program within the Oil and Gas Management budget, $1 million of which enables the agency to perform regional planning for leasing and development through the Master Leasing Plan concept.
V. POWERING OUR FUTURE INITIATIVE

The Powering our Future initiative provides resources for six bureaus across DOI
for renewable energy planning, leasing, and permitting activities. The initiative presents an opportunity for the Nation to facilitate large-scale clean energy projects
without compromising crucial wildlife interests and investments. It facilitates efficient permitting, identification and review of wind energy areas, and efforts to

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evaluate and protect the sage grouse, lesser prairie chickens, whooping cranes, golden eagles, and Indiana bats. NWF strongly supports the Presidents request of $94.8
million for fiscal year 2015, an increase of $3 million from fiscal year 2014 enacted.
In addition, NWF supports legislative proposals, such as the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act, that would both incentivize and add certainty for renewable energy on public lands while paying back the land by providing resources
for fish, wildlife, recreational opportunities, local communities, and States.
VI. U.S. FOREST SERVICE

Forest Fire Disaster Funding

In recent years, the U.S. Forest Service has been forced to dedicate a significant
amount of funds in order to pay for wildfire suppression. NWF supports the Presidents efforts to address this problem by including wildfire emergency funding processes in his fiscal year 2015 budget that are similar to those of other natural disasters. Currently, Federal land management agencies must shift money away from
vital agency programs in order to fund wildfire suppression costs. This practice negatively impacts land management programs including those that decrease long-term
wildfire risk and costs and the associated loss to wildlife, habitat and recreation.
We support legislative efforts to rectify this practice.
Urban and Community Forestry Program
The Urban and Community Forestry program improves the forests where people
live, work, and play. With urban tree canopies in decline, the program is critical to
support carbon sequestration, energy conservation, storm water management, and
air quality, while also providing cooling benefits in urban areas. We support maintaining the fiscal year 2014 enacted level of $28.04 million.
Forest Service Research and Development
The Presidents requested Research and Development budget for fiscal year 2015
is $18 million lower than the fiscal year 2014 enacted level. A reduction of this magnitude would thwart the Forest Services ability to effectively work on wildlife conservation and habitat risk assessment. We support maintaining the fiscal year 2014
enacted level of $293 million.
VII. LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is a tool for the Federal Government to acquire both State and Federal land that is important to maintaining wildlife habitat as well as open space. National Wildlife Federation strongly endorses
the Presidents fiscal year 2015 budget request of full funding for LWCF at $900
million, with $550 million in mandatory funding and $350 million in discretionary
funding. We support all efforts to ensure LWCF is funded at its maximum authorized level, including legislative efforts to provide robust and dedicated funding outside of the budget process. Likewise, NWF supports the Presidents request that $15
million goes to improving access to public lands for sportsmen and outdoor
recreationists
IX. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

Geographic ProgramsEcosystem Restoration Initiatives

Americas Great Waters are the lifeblood of our Nation. Sustained, consistent restoration funding is crucial for the successful implementation of multi-year ecosystem
restoration plans. As such, we strongly support the Presidents requested increase
in funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program Office ($73.1 million requested, an increase of $3 million from fiscal year 2014 enacted) and urge the subcommittee to
maintain funding for other regional efforts, including but not limited to the Long
Island Sound Program and Puget Sound Programs. We are concerned about the significant proposed funding decrease for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and
support maintaining the fiscal year 2014 enacted level of $300 million.
EPA National Estuary Program
The National Estuary Program (NEP) works to restore and protect nationally significant estuaries. The program focuses not just on improving water quality, but on
maintaining the integrity of the whole systemits chemical, physical, and biological
properties, as well as its economic, recreational, and aesthetic values. NWF is glad
to see funding maintained for this program, and supports the Presidents fiscal year
2015 request for $26.7 million.

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Clean Water State Revolving Fund
Since the 1970s, CWSRF projects have helped improve the quality of wastewater
treatment in communities throughout the country. Yet the job is far from complete
and the Nation faces trillions of dollars in funding needs to repair aging wastewater
treatment systems and keep our rivers and streams pollution free. While we greatly
appreciate the EPAs dedication to increasing green infrastructure options, we believe now, particularly when Americas infrastructure is rated at D by the American Society of Civil Engineers, is not the time to cut resources from communities.
NWF strongly opposes the $430.9 million proposed cut to this program, and urges
funding at the fiscal year 2014 level of $1.44887 billion.
Clean Water Act 319 Nonpoint Pollution Reduction Program
When Congress recognized the need for greater Federal leadership in assisting
with nonpoint source pollution reduction efforts, The Clean Water Act was amended
to establish Section 319. Continued funding for the Nonpoint Source Management
Program will provide State and local nonpoint source remediation efforts with the
funds that are crucial to the implementation of these projects. As such we recommend that the subcommittee increase program funding from the $164.9 million
requested by the President to the fiscal year 2014 enacted level of $159.2 million.
Climate & Air Pollution Reduction Programs
NWF supports EPAs priority goal of improving the countrys air quality and taking action on climate change. We support the requested $234.7 million for addressing climate change, an increase of $45.2 million over fiscal year enacted, allowing
the Agency to support a full range of approaches for reducing carbon pollution and
the risks posed to human health and the environment from climate change.
National Environmental Education Act (NEEA) Programs
EPAs Office of Environmental Education implements highly successful, nationwide environmental education programs. We are grateful for the subcommittees
support of environmental education in previous years and urge you to sustain funding for the National Environmental Education Act (NEEA) programs at the Environmental Protection Agency at the recent level of $9.7M.
X. EVERGLADES

Americas Everglades are one of the most unique ecosystems in the world. Protection of the remaining ecosystem and restoration of ecological function are critical for
water supply, wildlife, water quality, recreation, tourism, and the economy of South
Florida. A recent study indicates each dollar invested in restoring the Everglades
will result in a four dollar return. Beginning in the 1980s, Congress made a commitment to restoring the Everglades by enacting the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. This subcommittee has made substantial progress in furthering that
promise in recent yearsfunding construction of a 1-mile bridge along the Tamiami
Trail and authorizing the next phase of bridging. We urge Congress to continue this
investment and strongly support the Presidents budget request for $62.4 million for
the Everglades Comprehensive Environmental Restoration Plan.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE ASSOCIATION

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, and members of the subcommittee:

On behalf of the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) and its membership
of current and former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) professionals, Refuge
Friends organizations and concerned citizens, thank you for your support for the
National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS), particularly for the funding increase for
fiscal year 2014. NWRA appreciates the opportunity to offer comments on the fiscal
year 2015 Interior Appropriations bill and respectfully requests the following:
$476.4 million for the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) accounts of the
NWRS, including $5 million for the Pacific Marine Monuments;
$900 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), with $178.3
million allocated for the FWS, including $1 million for Blackwater National
Wildlife Refuge System (NWR) (Maryland); $1 million for John Chafee NWR
(Rhode Island); $10 million for Everglades Headwaters NWR and Conservation
Area (Florida); $6.5 million for Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge (NFWR) (Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts); $5 million for Cache River NWR (Arizona); $3 million for Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area (Kansas); and $2 million for Bear River Watershed Conservation Area
(Wyoming, Idaho, Utah).

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$75 million for the FWS Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program;
$13 million for the FWS Coastal Program;
$60 million for FWS for Preparedness and Hazardous Fuels Reduction (under
the Department of the Interior (DOI));
$20 million for the National Wildlife Refuge Fund;
$16 million for the FWS construction account;
$58.7 million for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program;
$35 million for the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund;
$4 million for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Fund;
$9.1 million for the Multinational Species Conservation Fund and $13.5 million
for Wildlife Without Borders;
$7.022 million for the FWS account in the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF).
We understand our Nations challenging fiscal climate, but cutting funding to programs that are economic drivers and job creators in local communities would only
exacerbate the already difficult situation. For example, the NWRS averages almost
$5 in economic return for every $1 appropriated and the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program returns nearly $16 for every $1 spent on projects. But budgets have
not kept pace with rising costs, and the gap between the funding needed to maintain these programs and the funding appropriated has widened dramatically. To
begin bridging that gap, NWRA urges Congress to fund these critical programs that
leverage Federal dollars and serve as economic drivers.
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEMOPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE

NWRA chairs the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE), a diverse coalition of 23 sporting, conservation, and scientific organizations representing
more than 16 million Americans that supports increased funding for the Refuge System. CARE estimates the NWRS needs at least $900 million annually to manage
its 150 million acres, yet it is currently funded at roughly half that amountat only
$3.15 per acre. The Refuge System cannot fulfill its obligation to the American public, our wildlife, and 46.5 million annual visitors without increases in maintenance
and operation funds.
Budget cuts over the past 4 years have had a dramatic impact on the Refuge System, resulting in significant declines in habitat preservation and management,
hunting, fishing, volunteerism and scientific research. Between fiscal year 2010 and
fiscal year 2013, the Refuge System faced widespread declines in measured performance: the acres of forest and shrubland improved declined by 51 percent; wetland
acres restored declined by 77 percent; and riparian miles restored declined by 19
percent. Meanwhile, the control of invasive animal populations decreased by 46 percent and acres treated for invasive plants decreased by 37 percent resulting in a
60 percent drop in acreage where invasive plant control was achieved. At the Wichita Mountains NWR in Oklahoma, two biotech positions remain vacant, including
a seasonal position to fight invasive species, compromising years of gains made
against invasive species on refuge grasslands and leaving private lands vulnerable
to the spread of invasives.
NWRA believes it is very important for the FWS to partner with State agencies,
through the State Wildlife Grant Program, and with private landowners to keep
wildlife from becoming endangered. However, funding cuts threaten that very work.
For instance, at the Imperial NWR in Arizona, grant funding opportunities are
being bypassed due to lack of staff to develop proposals and oversee projects. The
wildlife biologist vacancy at Imperial and vacancies at other refuges along the Colorado River prevented the refuge from applying for a Cooperative Recovery grant to
restore 830 acres of marsh habitat, primarily for the endangered Yuma clapper rail.
The refuges were unable to commit to the planning, execution, monitoring, and reporting requirements of this grant.
Along the Texas coast, the Aransas NWR is home to the highly endangered
whooping crane, yet every aspect of the refuges work is impacted by budget cuts.
Prescribed burninga vital management tool to provide food for the cranes and
treat invasive speciesis down by 65 percent this year. Unable to maintain facilities
to ensure public safety and accessibility, the refuge has also curtailed visitor access,
closing 12 of the 17 public facilities, including a fishing pier, boardwalks and photo
blinds. And to top it off, the loss of visitor services staff has resulted in a decrease
in volunteer support: last year volunteers donated 24,000 hours and occupied eight
RV sites on the refuge but now only two RV sites are occupied.
During these years of challenging budgets, the Refuge Systems potential to drive
local economies and create jobs is of paramount importance. Banking On Nature,
a report issued by the FWS in October 2013, shows that even during the worst re-

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cession since the Great Depression, the overall return on investment increased substantially for the Refuge System. From 20062011 the Refuge System saw sales and
economic output increase 20 percent to $2.4 billion, visitation increase 30 percent
to 46.5 million, average return on investment increase 22 percent to $4.87 for every
$1 appropriated, and supported jobs increase 23 percent to 35,000. At the Ridgefield
NWR in Washington, over $6 is returned to the local economy for every $1 appropriated and at the Wichita Mountains NWR in Oklahoma, the refuge returns a
whopping $44 for every $1 appropriated.
STRATEGIC GROWTH

The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is an essential tool for protecting the integrity of the Refuge System and is the primary funding source for
land and conservation easement acquisition by Federal land agencies.
Increasingly, LWCF is being used to conserve working lands through the acquisition of easements that secure conservation protection while leaving the land in private ownership and on the tax rolls. Conservation easements are powerful tools that
foster public-private partnerships with ranchers, farmers and foresters to conserve
wildlife, habitat and a uniquely American way of life. Innovative landscape-scale initiatives using easements as a primary conservation tool have broad community and
State support in New Englands Connecticut River Watershed, the Flint Hills of
Kansas, the Everglades Headwaters, Montanas Crown of the Continent, and the
Dakota Grasslands. These iconic landscapes remain privately managed, generating
tax income for local communities, securing our Nations food, and balancing resource
use and resource protection for wildlife.
In many cases, however, land acquisition is required to conserve intact and functional natural habitat. The Refuge System is responsible for safeguarding population levels of a range of species, including many species that require very specific
habitat conditions, such as nesting grounds for sea turtle and isolated springs for
endemic desert fish. Others require multiple habitat types during their life cycle.
By acquiring critical habitat areas and linking conserved lands, the Refuge System
enhances the overall integrity of the system and strengthens our network of habitat
to give wildlife space and time to respond to changes, whether from climate or
changing land use patterns.
The Refuge Association calls on Congress to fund LWCF at $900 million per year,
with $178.3 million provided in fiscal year 2015 to the FWS for conservation easements and refuge in-holdings, including the following projects and those advocated
by refuge Friends:
Blackwater NWR (Maryland)$1 million;
John H. Chafee NWR (Rhode Island)$1 million;
Everglades Headwaters NWR & Conservation Area (Florida)$10 million;
Cache River NWR (Arizona)$5 million;
Silvio O. Conte NFWR (New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut)$6.5 million;
Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area (Kansas)$3 million;
Bear River Watershed Conservation Area (Wyoming, Idaho, Utah)$2 million.
PARTNERSHIPS

With 75 percent of all fish and wildlife species dependent upon private lands for
their survival, the Partners for Fish and Wildlife program (Partners Program) is one
of the most powerful tools for protecting wildlife where it lives. By building effective
partnerships between public agencies and private landowners to conserve Americas
expansive working landscapes, the Partners Program has implemented nearly
29,000 restoration projects in the past 25 years, restoring over one million acres of
wetlands, three million acres of uplands, and 11,000 miles of streams. The program
has been instrumental in the success of such iconic landscape conservation projects
as the Rocky Mountain Front and Blackfoot Challenge in Montana and the Flint
Hills in Kansas, and is playing a key role in conserving greater sage-grouse habitat
in the intermountain west.
The Partners program consistently leverages Federal dollars for conservation,
generating nearly $16 in economic return for every $1 appropriated for projects. The
Refuge Association and the landowner-led Partners for Conservation request $75
million for fiscal year 2015. Such a funding level would result in an additional $400
million worth of conservation across the Nation.
COMMITMENT TO REFUGE COMMUNITIESREFUGE REVENUE SHARING

The Refuge System uses net income derived from permits and timber harvests to
make payments to local communities to offset property tax revenue lost when the

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federally-acquired lands are removed from local tax rolls, and relies on congressional
appropriations to the Refuge Revenue Sharing program to compensate for the shortfall between revenues and tax replacement obligations. Unfortunately, declining revenues and lack of appropriations have resulted in the Service paying less than 50
percent of its tax-offset obligations since 2001. The negative impact on local communities is felt even more starkly in difficult economic times and severely strains relations between the Federal units and their local community, threatening the goodwill
and partnerships that are keystones of successful conservation. NWRA requests $20
million for the Refuge Revenue Sharing Program, which, in recognition of the Presidents proposal to zero out funding, is still less than half of what is needed. NWRA
also calls for a review of the Refuge Revenue Sharing Act of 1935 as amended, and
consideration of conversion to a Payment-in-Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program to be consistent with other Federal land management agencies and to provide Refuge communities with more equitable payments.
LEVERAGING AMERICAN VOLUNTEERISM

Refuges are vital places for the American people to actively connect with nature.
Refuge volunteers contributed their time and expertise, totaling 1.4 million hours
last yearthe equivalent of 702 full time staffa 20 percent boost to the Refuge
System workforce of 3,400 employees. But this level of volunteer service is only possible when the System is adequately staffed to provide the necessary volunteer
training and oversight, and smaller budgets mean cuts to volunteer opportunities.
From fiscal year 2010 to fiscal year 2013, the System experienced an 8.7 percent
reduction in the number of volunteers, at a time when the System needs their help
the most to greet visitors, staff refuge nature stores, maintain Refuge grounds, provide interpretation and much more.
NWRA believes the National Wildlife Refuge System can meet its responsibilities
to the American people with collaboration and sufficient funding and we urge Congress to help the FWS meet these obligations.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIVE HAWAIIAN EDUCATION COUNCIL

Aloha Chairman Reed and members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations,

Interior and Environment subcommittee, Mahalo, thank you, for allowing us an opportunity to submit this request for appropriations.
We are seeking continued funding at pre-sequestration levels for the Native Hawaiian Education Program (NHEP) that targets the Native Hawaiian student population. The NHEP is an important part of fulfilling the trust relationship between
the United States and Native Hawaiians, and it helps to improve the educational
status of Native Hawaiians. It is an important element in the Native communitys
effort to control its education programs and policies and to achieve educational parity. NHEP aims to close the education achievement gap between Native Hawaiians
and the general population, and also functions to fulfill the trust relationship between the United States and Native Hawaiians, the indigenous people of a once sovereign nation. During the time of their own sovereignty in the kingdom of Hawaii,
Native Hawaiians had a higher rate of literacy than citizens of the United States.
The educational achievement gap has occurred during the intervening years since
the loss of Native Hawaiian sovereignty, so that today Native Hawaiians are among
the most disadvantaged groups in the State.
THE NHEP WORKS

NHEP has been effective over the years in meeting the goals of the program. For
example, NHEA has been instrumental in preserving and protecting the Native Hawaiian language through funding projects that are designed to address the use of
the Native Hawaiian language in instruction, one of the priorities named in the
NHEA. The number of speakers nearly doubled in 18 years from 8,872 speakers in
1990 to 16,864 in 2008. (Source: Office of Hawaiian Affairs Data Book 2011 Tables
4.19 and 4.44)
The NHEP has funded programs that incorporate culture and indigenous teaching
practices in the classroom that lead to better outcomes for Native Hawaiian students. An example is the improvement in the graduation rates for Native Hawaiians
and math and reading scores. Graduation rates for Native Hawaiians between 2002
and 2010 rose from 70 percent to 72.2 percent. (Sources: Kamehameha Schools Native Hawaiian Education Assessment Update 2009, Fig. 9 and Hawaii Department
of Education (HI DOE) 200506 to 200910)

181
Similarly, math and reading scores have risen for Native Hawaiians. The percent
of Native Hawaiians scoring Proficient or Above from 2007 to 2012 rose from 27
percent to 49 percent in math and from 41 percent to 62 percent in reading. (Source:
HI DOE Longitudinal Data System)
School attendance rates in schools with student populations that are over 50 percent Native Hawaiian have increased from 90.1 percent in the 200001 school year
to 91.3 percent in the 201112 school year. (Source: Kamehameha Schools draft Ka
Huakai update, p. 58)
THE NEED STILL EXISTS

In spite of the gains that Native Hawaiians have made educationally, the need
for innovative programs to assist Native Hawaiians to improve their academic performance still exists, since Native Hawaiians have not yet attained parity with the
rest of the students in the State.
Timely high school graduation rates for students in the State rose from 77 percent
to 79.6 percent in the same time period that it rose from 70 percent to 72.2 percent
for Native Hawaiians. (Sources: Kamehameha Schools Native Hawaiian Education
Assessment Update 2009, Fig. 9 and HI DOE 200506 to 200910)
Native Hawaiians still lag behind the rest of the State in academic performance;
however the gap between the Native Hawaiians and others is decreasing. From
2007 to 2012 the increase in the percentage of Native Hawaiians scoring Proficient
or Above in math rose 22 percentage points, while the increase for the State during
the same time period was 21 percentage points. The increase for Native Hawaiians
in reading was even more dramatic during that time period, increasing 21 percentage points compared to the State increase of only 11 percentage points. Unfortunately those gains were not enough to bring Native Hawaiians to parity. In 2012
Native Hawaiians were still 10 points behind the State in the percentage scoring
Proficient or Above in math and 9 points behind in the percentage scoring Proficient or Above in reading.

PERCENT SCORING PROFICIENT OR ABOVE

2007

2012

Change

Math:
Native Hawaiians ......................................................................................
State totals ...............................................................................................
Difference .............................................................................................
Reading:
Native Hawaiians ......................................................................................
State totals ...............................................................................................
Difference .............................................................................................

27%
38%
11
41%
60%
19

49%
59%

22
21

10
62%
71%

21
11

Source: Hawaii DOE Longitudinal Data System.

In the area of Native Hawaiian language immersion, although the gains have
been tremendous, the nearly 17,000 speakers in 2008 only represent 6 percent of
the approximately 290,000 Native Hawaiians in Hawaii (2010 U.S. Census).
APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST

The pre-sequestration appropriations level for the NHEP was $34 million. Sequestration reduced the amount by $2 million to $32 million, which is the amount entered into the Presidents budget. For such a small program as the NHEP, the $2
million reduction makes a significant negative impact on the program. We would
like to continue to make gains in the educational achievement of Native Hawaiians,
and request the pre-sequestration level of $34 million so that we dont lose the momentum of improvement.
NHEP funds programs to help improve the educational attainment of Native Hawaiians in ways that are linguistically and culturally aligned to the needs of our
native students and communities in Hawaii. Improving education, particularly for
the most depressed groups, eventually leads to cost savings over time through decreased incarceration, poor health, and public assistance. (Barnett, W. S., and Ackerman, D. J. 2006. Costs, benefits, and the long-term effects of early care and education programs: Cautions and recommendations for community developers. Journal
of the Community Development Society, 37(2), 86100.) Academic achievement is
also correlated with positive economic outcomes. (Belfield, C. 2008, June. The eco-

182
nomic investments of early education in Hawaii. Issue Brief. Flushing, NY: Queens
College, City University of New York.)
Please help us sustain the NHEP to its pre-sequestration level in order to continue the educational gains that have taken this program years to accomplish.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATIVE VILLAGE

OF

BARROW

The Native Village of Barrow makes the following recommendations with regard
to the fiscal year 2015 Bureau of Indian Affairs budget:
Fully fund Bureau of Indian Affairs contract support costs (CSC) at $251 million as requested by the administration and place CSC funding on a mandatory,
rather than a discretionary, basis.
Support the administrations request for a $5 million increase for social services
(total of $40.8 million) and for a $5 million increase for the Indian Child Welfare Act (for a total of $15.4 million)called the Tiwahe Initiative.
Support increased funding for tribal courts.
Support increased flexibility for the Housing Improvement Program and oppose
the administrations proposed funding cut.
Increase the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) resources for Information Technology for tribes.
About the Native Village of Barrow.The Native Village of Barrow, the longest
standing local government in Barrow, is a federally recognized tribe incorporated in
1940 under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 as amended for Alaska Natives
in 1936 by the United States Congress. We work to meet a variety of tribal members needs including adult basic, secondary, and higher education; realty; wildlife;
housing; Indian reservation roads; social services and child protection; environmental protection; and economic development. We provide these services through a
Self-Governance funding agreement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, various
grants, and pull-tab gaming.
The Village of Barrow is situated within the North Slope Borough at the northern
most tip of Alaska, 340 miles north of the Arctic Circle and only a few miles southwest of Point Barrow where the Beaufort and Chuckchi Seas join. We have a polar
climate, dry and cold, with temperatures below freezing from early October through
late May. The sun stays below the horizon from November 18 or 19 through January 22 or 23, and on the winter solstice there is twilight for only 3 hours.
Contract Support Costs.We thank Congress, and particularly the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Subcommittee, for your leadership in making it clear
to the BIA and the Indian Health Service (IHS) that fully funding contract support
costs (CSC) is a legal duty and for providing what we estimate is full funding for
fiscal year 2014. Congress has asked tribes and tribal organizations, the BIA, IHS,
the Office of Management and Budget and the relevant congressional committees
to work together to come up with a long term solution to meet the legal requirements for contract support costs and to also streamline the CSC determination process. We join with others in Indian Country in feeling that the next logical step is
for Congress to put CSC funding on a mandatory, rather than a discretionary, basis.
Social Services and Tribal Courts Funding.The Native Village of Barrows court
has jurisdiction over an array of child welfare and juvenile wellness matters. Our
social services office services to a population of 3,400 with only a handful of staff.
We support the administrations request of an increase of $5 million in the BIA
budget for more social workers and for an additional $5 million for tribal Indian
Child Welfare Act (ICWA) programs. Together the BIA has termed this the Tiwahe
(the Lakota work for family) Initiative. While these funds do not represent direct
funding for tribal courts, the work of social workers and improved implementation
of the ICWA would have positive implications for the work of our and other tribal
courts.
Of the children in Alaska, 17.3 percent are American Indian/Alaska Native, but
they constitute 51.1 percent of children in foster care in the State (Summer A.,
Woods S., and Donovan, J (2013). Technical assistance bulletin: disproportionality
rates for children of color in foster care. Reno, Nevada: National Council of Juvenile
and Family Court Judges.) The Native Village of Barrow Social Services Department has partnerships with a number of entities including Barrow Tribal Court,
Arctic Women in Crisis, and the State of Alaska, among others and we need to continue building these collaborative efforts. We have Memorandum of Understanding
with the State regarding the Indian Child Welfare Act.
For tribal courts specifically, the administration proposes level funding in the BIA
budget ($23.3 million). Given the impact of the Violence Against Women Act
(VAWA), the Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA) and the recommendations of the

183
TLOA Commission, a significant increase over $23 million is certainly in order. In
addition there may well be an amendment enacted to the VAWA that will authorize
extended domestic violence jurisdiction to tribes in Alaska for which we will definitely need additional resources.
Housing Improvement Program (HIP).The administration proposes only $8 million for the Bureau of Indian Affairs HIP program, about the same as the fiscal
year 2014 enacted level but 36 percent below the fiscal year 2013 pre-sequestration
level of $12.5 million. The Native Village of Barrow does not receive HIP funds,
finding the requirements for things including surveys prohibitively expensive when
one compares it to the small HIP grants. The BIA states in its fiscal year 2015
Budget Justification that they want to recommend a redesign of the Program in
2014 and point especially to the inclusion in the program of young families, of tribes
expanding eligibility criteria, and re-establishing a down payment assistance category (pp IAHS89). This is quite ambitious for a program that the administration last year tried to zero out, but we encourage that in redesigning the program
that the cost of compliance with eligibility criteria not outstrip the funding it might
provide.
Information Technology.It is almost impossible to identify in the BIA budget
what is available for tribes in the area of information technology, but it is something
for which we need additional assistance. Under Tribal Government Oversight $8.2
million is requested which, among other things, provides technical assistance to
nearly 3,200 self-determination contracts (pp. IATG67). There is also funding in
the BIA budget request for $546,000 for Interior Department Information Technology Transformation through the Departments Working Capital Fund ((IAES
13), but we are not aware that these are funds that directly assist tribes. We ask
that the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee inquire the sources and amounts of
funds for information technology assistance to tribes.
Thank you for your consideration of our requests.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NATURE CONSERVANCY

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski and members of the subcommittee,

thank you for the opportunity to submit recommendations for fiscal year 2015 appropriations. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is an international, non-profit conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important
lands and waters for nature and people. Our mission is to conserve the lands and
waters upon which all life depends.
As we enter the fiscal year 2015 budget cycle and another year of a challenging
fiscal environment, the Conservancy continues to recognize the need for fiscal austerity. The Conservancy also wishes to thank this subcommittee for the final fiscal
year 2014 funding levels for Department of Interior and U.S. Forest Service conservation programs. Our budget recommendations this year reflect a balanced approach with funding levels consistent with the Presidents budget request or, in rare
instances such as wildland fire or funding for the States, reflect specific program
needs. Of particular note, we wish to work with this subcommittee and the authorizing committees on identifying permanent funding solutions for wildfire funding,
the Land and Water Conservation Fund and the Payment in Lieu of Taxes Program.
The Conservancy is concerned about the increasing impacts of wildfire suppression
funding on Interior funding levels and urge the subcommittee to adopt the bipartisan and widely supported Wildfire Disaster Funding Act (S. 1875; H.R. 3992). This
process of funding suppression for the Department of the Interior and the USDA
Forest Service will create budgetary stability and accountability while liberating
critically needed appropriations funds within the Interior allocation.
Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).The fiscal year 2015 Presidents
budget proposes the establishment of a dedicated source of long-term funding for the
Land and Water Conservation Fund. In the proposal, the Presidents budget includes $350 million for LWCF activities through current authority or discretionary
appropriations and then an additional $550 million in permanent authority for
LWCF funding. The budget then proposes to reach the $900 million funding level
in fiscal year 2015 through this blend of current and permanent funding. The Conservancy supports this phased shift to mandatory funding for the LWCF Program.
However, consistent with last year and as noted above, we believe the administration must work closely with the relevant appropriations and authorizing committees
to move this proposal forward. Additionally, the Conservancy supports the ongoing
emphasis in the budget on both core projects and collaborative LWCF projects.
Projects in the Longleaf Pine region will benefit greatly from this collaborative emphasis, along with projects in the California Southwest Desert, Upper Rio Grande,

184
the High Divide and National Trails. Our core and collaborative priorities this
year include the Nez Pearce National Historic Trail/Henrys Lake ACEC (Idaho),
Francis Marion National Forest (South Carolina), Silvio O. Conte NFWR (New
Hampshire/Vermont/Connecticut/Massachusetts), and the working ranches of Floridas Everglades Headwaters NWR & Conservation Area, North Dakota and South
Dakotas Dakota Grasslands Conservation Area, Montanas Rocky Mountain Front
Conservation Area and Kansass Flint Hills Legacy Conservation Area.
Forest Legacy.We support a minimum of $53 million for the Forest Legacy Program in current discretionary funding and the $47 million in permanent funding
(with our aforementioned caveats) with a focus on 4 projectsHall Mountain
(Idaho), Carter Mountain (Tennessee), Clear Creek Conservation Project (Montana)
and Lake Alexander (Minnesota).
Endangered Species.The Conservancy supports a funding level of at least $50
million for the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF), and
also requests the subcommittee give consideration to the additional fiscal year 2015
Presidents budget request of $50 million in permanent funding per our earlier request for negotiations to occur between the administration and relevant congressional committees on a path forward for this funding.
Colorado River Basin Recovery Programs.The Conservancy supports the Presidents fiscal year 2015 budget request of $5.05 million for USBR and $1.39 million
for FWS for the Colorado River Basin recovery programs, including endangered species funding for the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program, recovery funds for the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program, and
fish hatchery needs associated with the recovery plans.
Wildlife Planning.The Conservancy supports the Western Governors Associations (WGA) request for the subcommittee to consider issuing a recommendation to
land management agencies within its jurisdiction to utilize State fish and wildlife
data and analyses to inform the land use, land planning and related natural resource decisions of those agencies. As an example of strong State-led data systems,
WGA has partnered in recent years with State wildlife agencies and the Federal
Government to develop statewide GIS mapping tools to identify crucial wildlife habitat and migratory corridors. These geospatial mapping tools, which provide access
to credible, broad-scale scientific datacompiled and analyzed by the Statesare
designed to reduce conflicts and surprises while ensuring wildlife values are better
incorporated into land use planning, particularly for large-scale linear projects.
WGA launched its West-wide GIS mapping tool called CHAT (Crucial Habitat Assessment Tool) in December 2013. CHAT is a non-regulatory decision-support system that knits together State wildlife data and analysis on a regional landscape
level using a common framework. Our Arizona TNC Chapter has been very integrated in the development and enhancement of the Arizona data system
(HabiMap)a decision support systemwhich is the basis for our work on mitigation, habitat assessments and land planning in the State.
Invasive Species.The Conservancy supports the Presidents fiscal year 2015
Budget request of $138.9 million for the FWS Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation program, including $4.4 million to address the invasion of Asian carp in
the Great Lakes and priority watersheds, including the Missouri, Ohio and Upper
Mississippi River.
State Wildlife Grants.The Conservancy requests the fiscal year 2014 funding
level$58.695 millionfor this program. Strong Federal investments are essential
to ensure strategic actions are undertaken by State and Federal agencies and the
conservation community to conserve wildlife populations and their habitats. We are
concerned about the impact of the fiscal year 2015 proposed cut on State fish and
wildlife agencies nationally and request these funds be restored to the fiscal year
2014 level.
Wildlife Conservation Programs.The variety of wildlife conservation programs
conducted by FWS continue a long and successful tradition of supporting collaborative conservation in the United States and internationally. We urge the subcommittee to fund the Presidents request for such established and successful programs as the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund (NAWCA), Neotropical
Migratory Bird Conservation Fund (NMBCA), and the FWS Coastal Program. We
support the Presidents request for the Migratory Bird Joint Ventures and the FWS
Migratory Bird Management Program. For the latter, we are particularly supportive
of FWS efforts at developing updated eagle permitting regulations which will both
support the development of renewable energy in our country and contribute to sustainable and growing populations of these iconic North American species. We support the Presidents fiscal year 2015 request for the Partners for Fish and Wildlife
Program and the requested increase in funding for Cooperative Landscape Conservation ($17.7 million) and Adaptive Science ($15.1 m). The latter will help sup-

185
port the Department of the Interiors (DOI) overall commitment to Landscape Conservation Cooperatives and will contribute to collaborative problem solving for some
of our Nations most challenging issues. We also request strong funding this year
for the National Fish Habitat Initiative.
International Programs.The international conservation programs appropriated
annually within the Department of Interior are relatively small but are effective and
widely respected. They encompass the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services (FWS) Multinational Species Conservation Funds, the FWS Wildlife Without Borders regional
and global programs, the U.S. National Park Service International Program, and
the U.S. Forest Service International Program (USFSIP). We urge that these programs receive in fiscal year 2015, at a minimum, level funding with fiscal year 2014.
Climate Change.The Conservancy appreciates the Presidents commitment to respond to the global climate challenge, and this subcommittees sustained leadership
in supporting cooperative, science-based programs to respond to the global climate
challenge and to help ensure resilient land and seascapes.
National Wildlife Refuge System.The Conservancy supports the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement Coalitions request, consistent with the Presidents
fiscal year 2015 Budget, of $476.4 million for the Refuge Systems Operations and
Maintenance accounts. Found in every U.S. State and territory, national wildlife refuges conserve a diversity of Americas environmentally sensitive and economically
vital ecosystems, including oceans, coasts, wetlands, deserts, tundra, prairie, and
forests. This represents the funding necessary to maintain management capabilities
for the Refuge System.
USFS & DOI Wildland Fire Management.The Presidents fiscal year 2015 budget proposes language similar to the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act (WDFAS. 1875;
H.R. 3992) which would fund a portion of the USDA Forest Service (USFS) and the
Department of the Interior (DOI) wildfire suppression costs through a budget cap
adjustment under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985,
as amended. The enactment of WDFA would not only significantly reduce the need
for the USFS and DOI to transfer but also provide the subcommittee with added
flexibility to allocate funding for activities that reduce fire risk and long-term suppression costs. The Conservancy supports adopting this language and funding suppression in fiscal year 2015 accordingly. The Conservancy appreciates Congress emphasis on proactive hazardous fuels reduction and community preparedness along
with a commitment to safe and cost-effective wildfire response strategies. In light
of this approach and with the enactment of WDFA, the Conservancy recommends
investing in Hazardous Fuels at levels of $479 million and $178 million for USFS
and DOI, respectively, and repeating the subcommittees fiscal year 2012 instructions for allocating funds to priority landscapes in both the wildland-urban interface
(WUI) and wildland settings. We also recommend the USFS State Fire Assistance
program be funded at $86 million.
USFS Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration.The Conservancy recommends increasing funding for the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration
Program to $60 million for the existing 23 and new projects. This important program works to restore large forest landscapes, provide jobs that sustain rural economies, reduce the risk of damaging wildfire, improve wildlife habitat and decommission unused, damaging roads. The Conservancy also recommends supporting the
Landscape Scale Restoration proposal funded at $24 million.
Integrated Resource Restoration (IRR).The Conservancy appreciates the subcommittee support of the Integrated Resource Restoration pilot and continue to follow its implementation with the outcome expectation of increased restoration. The
Conservancy believes it is premature to nationalize the IRR pilot, but supports continuation of the pilot for a fourth year.
USFS Forest Health & Research.The Forest Health program is a critical resource supporting efforts to prevent, contain, and eradicate dangerous pests and
pathogens affecting trees and forests. Further, this program leads Federal efforts to
counter forest pests which have become widespread, including gypsy moth, hemlock
woolly adelgid, white pine blister rust, thousand cankers disease, oak wilt, and
many others. The Conservancy recommends funding the Federal and cooperative
Forest Health programs at a combined level of $111 million. The Forest and Rangeland Research program provides the scientific basis for policies that improve the
health and quality of urban and rural communities, by providing protection from
fire, detecting and managing forest pests and the pathways, improving water and
air quality, among many other benefits. For Forest & Rangeland Research, the Conservancy requests the fiscal year 2012 level of $304 million.
Sage Grouse Conservation.The Conservancy supports the Presidents fiscal year
2015 budget request of $15 million for the Bureau of Land Managements (BLM)
focus on sage grouse conservation. Greater sage-grouse populations have experi-

186
enced a precipitous decline across the West in recent years due to a number of impacts and a well-aligned comprehensive effort is needed across public and private
lands to reverse its decline.
BLM Landscape Approaches to Land Management and Renewable Energy Development.The Conservancy supports the administrations recommended fiscal year
2015 funding for BLMs initiatives to implement landscape approaches to land management which include Rapid Ecoregional Assessments, Resource Management
Planning and the Planning 2.0 initiative, Regional Mitigation Planning, coordination
with LCCs, and the Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) Strategy. Many
BLM programs contribute to these cross-cutting initiatives including: National
Landscape Conservation System($34 million request, $2.1 million increase over
fiscal year 2014); Resource Management Planning program ($42 million request, $5
million increase over fiscal year 2014); Wildlife and Fisheries management (65.2
million request); and Threatened & Endangered species management ($21.6 million
request). Additionally, the Conservancy supports continued funding for BLMs renewable energy development program at $29.1 million which includes implementation of the Western Solar Energy Program. Collectively, these efforts will help BLM
manage its lands efficiently and effectively for energy development, species and
habitat conservation, recreation, and other uses to maximize the public benefit from
these lands.
Environmental Protection Agency.EPAs geographic programs including the
Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico, Puget Sound and Mississippi River
programs make a significant contribution to protecting habitat and water quality in
the large landscapes where they work. The Conservancy urges the subcommittee to
continue funding for these programs at the fiscal year 2014 enacted level at a minimum.
Thank you for the opportunity to present The Nature Conservancys recommendations for the fiscal year 2015 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NAVAJO NATION

APRIL 1, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support

187
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
STANLEY M. POLLACK, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL,
Water Rights Unit, Navajo Nation Department of Justice.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NEW ENGLAND FOREST POLICY GROUP

Mr. Chairman, and distinguished members of the subcommittee, we are grateful

for the opportunity to submit testimony today on behalf of the New England Forest
Policy Group and the 85 conservation, forestry, and recreation interests listed below.
We respectfully request an increase in overall funding for the Land and Water
Conservation Fund to the Authorized level of $900 million, including $100 million
for the Forest Legacy Program, $574.883 million for the Federal LWCF, $100.117
million for the State Grants Program, and $25 million for the Urban Park and
Recreation Fund in the fiscal year 2015 Interior and Environment Appropriations
bill. We also respectfully request a minimum of $5 million for the Community Forest
and Open Space Conservation Program, $34.145 million for the North American
Wetlands Conservation Act, $58.7 million for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants
Program, $10 million for the Recreational Trails Conservation Assistance Program,
$31 million for Urban & Community Forestry, $48 million for the Cooperative Forest Health Program, $29 million for Forest Stewardship, and $15 million for Woody
Biomass Utilization Grants.
These levels are based upon the administrations proposed fiscal year 2015 budget
or level funding from fiscal year 2014, whichever amount is larger. In a few select
cases they reflect the priority needs of New England to grow an underfunded programmost notably the Community Forest Programto a level that will begin supporting the demonstrated need. The suite of conservation and forestry programs in
this testimony has proven to provide great benefits to the communities of New England that depend upon our regions forests and to the Nation as a whole. Anything
less than the requested funding will impact the effectiveness of the programs, particularly given that many of these programs have already experienced notable funding declines over the past 5 years.
The New England Forest Policy Group is an informal collaborative of diverse forestry, recreation, and conservation organizations and businesses united by our efforts to conserve and utilize the forested landscapes that characterize our region.
New Englands forests are the backbone of our forest products and recreation economies, and provide other services of incalculable value including water and biodiversity protection, climate mitigation, and flood resilience. As the most forested region
in the country, New Englands economy is strongly dependent on the health and integrity of its forests. Communities across the region depend on our wooded landscapes for their health and well being, as do the 60 million people within a days
drive. New Englands forests are 85 percent privately owned, mostly in relatively
small parcels, and landowners are facing profound challenges from rising land
prices, escalating development pressures, and other threats that have the potential
to significantly diminish this irreplaceable landscape.
We strongly believe that programs vital to our regions future must be sustained,
including forest conservation and stewardship, recreational planning, and utilization
of our forests in new and innovative ways. New England has compelling need for
the programs in front of your subcommittee.
As the subcommittee crafts its Interior & Related Agencies Appropriations bill,
there are several key points we respectfully request you to consider:
1. Overall Funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900
million.Funding at the recommended $900 million is critical for the conservation
of the natural legacy of New England and the country. All six New England States
will receive funding for critically important LWCF projects if the requested level of
$900 million is provided in fiscal year 2015. If this amount is not supported, many
opportunities will be lost.
2. New England Needs for Federal Land Acquisition under LWCF.In fiscal year
2015, less than half of New Englands proposed projects are found in the highest
priority Discretionary sections, which means that more than half of New Englands fiscal year 2015 LWCF projects are not likely to receive funding unless close
to full funding is appropriated.
a. National Park Service LWCF AcquisitionsCollaborative Landscape Planning for National Trails at $25 million total ($11.2 million Discretionary &
$13.8 million Mandatory), including $3.76 million for the Appalachian National

188
Scenic Trail in New Hampshire & Vermont and $0.25 million for the New England National Scenic Trail in Massachusetts.The proposed fiscal year 2015
LWCF funds are necessary for conserving and expanding two iconic trail corridors in New Englandthe Appalachian National Scenic Trail and the New
England National Scenic Trail. New Englands outdoor recreation economy is
worth approximately $43 billion/year and supports more than 330,000 jobs, according to the Outdoor Industry Association. In addition, our regions trails provide healthy recreation for the people who live here and necessary urban respite
for more than 60 million people overall.
b. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service LWCF AcquisitionsThe Silvio O. Conte
National Fish and Wildlife Refuge at $5 Million ($2 million Discretionary & $3
million Mandatory).Securing protection of these ecologically rich watersheds
and habitat corridors is a top regional priority. The Conte refuge encompasses
the Connecticut River watersheda critical four-State habitat corridor and a
treasure trove of ecological diversity, recreation, and economic opportunity.
c. National Park Service LWCF AcquisitionsAcadia National Park at $0.76
million (Mandatory).This project will secure an inholding that provides high
priority access and protection to the paddling gem, Round Pond, on the west
side of Mount Desert Island.
3. US Forest Service Programs of Special Importance to New EnglandUSFS
Forest Legacy and USFS Community Forest Program.These two programs in the
Interior Appropriations bill are particularly important to New England given our regions high percentage of private forestland ownership and the intense development
pressures on these lands.
a. USFS Forest Legacy needs full $100 million Appropriation to meet New
Englands needs.Forest Legacy has protected more than 1 million acres of
forestland in New England since its establishment in the 1990 Farm Billa remarkable and vital accomplishment. Originally created to help address needs in
New England and New York, this highly successful program has expanded to
53 States and territories without expanding the available funding. $100 million
would provide a solid start toward rebalancing available funds to the number
of States now in the program and the rising number of applications and pressing conservation need.
New England has an outstanding group of Forest Legacy Projects in the Proposed fiscal year 2015 budget, including 2 of the top 10 projects nationally and
4 of the top 20 projects in the national rankings. However, the Program must
receive the full $100 million requested to ensure that all of New Englands
projects are retained. New Englands full fiscal year 2015 interests include:
$4.56 million in Discretionary Forest Legacy funding for Dowsville Headwaters in Vermont; Gulf Hagas Whitecap in Maine; and partial funding for
Whip-Poor-Will Woods in Connecticut.
$11.955 million in less secure Mandatory Forest Legacy funding for WhipPoor-Will Woods in Connecticut (project funding is divided between Mandatory and Discretionary lists); Groton Forest Legacy Initiative in Vermont; Big
Six Forest in Maine; Connecticut to Quabbin Reservoir in Massachusetts;
Windham Region Working Forest in Vermont; and Oliverian Valley in New
Hampshire.
b. USFS Community Forest Program needs a minimum of $5 million.The
Community Forest Program is a 5050 matching grant program to help local
governments, tribes, and non-profit organizations expand the regions proud tradition of locally owned and managed lands, such as town forests. The program
has drawn strong interest nationallyin its first grant round in fiscal year
2012, the program drew 49 applications from across the country seeking $14.53
million. This was far beyond the available funding of $3.5 million, which included funding pooled from fiscal year 2010, 2011, and 2012 appropriations.
Funding the Community Forest Program at the $5 million level will much better match demand. Although this program is somewhat small on a national
budgetary scale, it is critical to New Englands community character and economic vitality.
4. North American Wetland Conservation Act (NAWCA) needs administrations
full request of $34.145 million.The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services premier wetland conservation program for habitat protection and restoration, NAWCA, is vitally
important for our region. New Englands remarkable marshes and coastal and estuarine habitats support the regions commercial and sport fisheries and myriad wildlife species. These lands are also important to protecting coastal communitiesa

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priority with the memory of events like Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy still
fresh. This funding is vital to support New England projects that conserve critically
important wetland areas and improve flood resiliency.
5. State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program (SWG) at $58.7 million.This important U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service program provides Federal grant funds for developing and implementing programs that benefit wildlife and their habitats, including species not hunted or fished, and provides core funding for research, habitat restoration, and monitoring under the State Wildlife Action Plans. $58.7 million will
keep funding level and ensure that States are not forced to make deep cuts into this
critical work. Keeping species off the Endangered Species list helps landowners and
is critical to the work of State Fish & Wildlife Agencies and to the 36 species on
the eastern list.
6. Rivers and Trails Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA) at $10 million.
RTCA partners to protect 700 miles of rivers, create 1,300 miles of trails, and conserve over 60,500 acres of open space annually. RTCA allows the U.S. National Park
Service (NPS) to support private conservation organizations as well as local and
State governments, usually in coalition, to foster important recreation, river protection, and land conservation efforts without the permanently adding lands and trails
to Federal ownership.
7. Cooperative Forestry Program (including Urban & Community Forestry at $31
million, Cooperative Forest Health at $48 million, Forest Stewardship at $29 million).These programs fund landowner services provided by State Foresters and Cooperative Extension Foresters. The proposed funding levels reflect the critical needs
for the Nations private forestlands as recommended by the National Association of
State Foresters. Levels lower than these will result in curtailing of vital services
that help family forest landowners sustainably manage and protest their landof
real concern in a New England landscape that is predominantly in private family
ownership. The programs provide key educational services to landowners and communities, and help ensure that our forested landscape remains healthy, resilient,
and economically viable.
8. Woody Biomass Utilization Grants Program at $15 million.This program
(which now includes the Community Wood Energy Program) will help communities
use their wood resources for renewable energy. It funds grants to develop community wood-to-energy plans and acquire or upgrade wood-based energy systems. This
program is ripe to benefit our forest-based communities.
9. Urban Park and Recreation Fund (UPARR) at $25 million (funded by LWCFs
Mandatory Section).UPARR provides matching grants and technical assistance to
urban communities. It helps provide Federal assistance for rehabilitation of critically needed recreation facilities and recreation planning. This program is essential
to support healthy living and vibrant urban communities.
In closing, we thank the subcommittee for your continuing leadership on Federal
land conservation matters and for the opportunity to provide this testimony. Signatory organizations represented by this testimony:
Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust (New
Hampshire)
American Rivers
Androscoggin River Watershed Council
Appalachian Mountain Club
Aspetuck Land Trust (Connecticut)
Audubon Connecticut
Audubon Society of Rhode Island
Audubon Vermont
Back Forty Forestry, LLC
Bear-Paw Regional Greenways (New
Hampshire)
Brookfield Open Space Legacy
(Connecticut)
Cold Hollow to Canada (Vermont)
Columbia Land Conservancy (New York)
Connecticut Fund for the Environment/
Save the Sound
Connecticut Land Conservation Council
Connecticut River Watershed Council

Connecticut Forest & Park Association

Connecticut Ornithological Association
Conservation Collaboratives, LLC
The Conservation Fund
Conservation Law Foundation
Damariscotta River Association (Maine)
East Quabbin Land Trust
(Massachusetts)
Essex County Greenbelt Association
(Massachusetts)
Fairfield County Regional Conservation
Partnership (Connecticut)
Forest*Care (Vermont)
Forest Society of Maine
Forestland Group, LLC
Franklin Land Trust (Massachusetts)
Friends of the Rachel Carson NWR
(Maine)

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Friends of the Silvio O. Conte NFWR
(New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Connecticut)
Friends of Pondicherry (New Hampshire)
Greater Lovell Land Trust (Maine)
Green Mountain Club (Vermont)
Highstead
Housatonic Valley Association
(Massachusetts, Connecticut, New
York)
Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (Maine)
Litchfield Hills Greenprint Collaborative
(Connecticut)
Lower Connecticut River Valley Council
of Governments (Connecticut)
Lyme Timber Company
Mahoosuc Land Trust (ME)
Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust
Maine Coast Heritage Trust
Mass Audubon
Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition
Massachusetts Woodlands Institute
Meadowsend Timberlands, Ltd (New
Hampshire)
Mill River Greenway Initiative
(Massachusetts)
Monson Conservation Commission
(Massachusetts)
Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust
(Massachusetts)
Mt. Agamenticus to the Sea
Conservation Initiative (ME)
Natural Resources Council of Maine
The Nature Conservancy
New England FLOW
New England Forestry Foundation
New England Mountain Bike Association

PREPARED STATEMENT

New England Wild Flower Society

New Hampshire Audubon
New York Biomass Energy Alliance
North Woods Resource Group, Inc.
(Vermont)
Northern Forest Center
Northern Forest Canoe Trail
Northern Rhode Island Conservation
District
Northland Forest Products, Inc.
Rangely Lakes Heritage Trust (Maine)
Open Space Institute
Quabbin to Cardigan Partnership (Q2C)
Redding Conservation Commission
(Connecticut)
Rensselaer Plateau Alliance (New York)
RI Woodland Partnership
Ridegefield Conservation Commission
(Connecticut)
Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance
(Maine)
Shelburne Trails Club (New Hampshire)
Society for the Protection of New
Hampshire Forests
Sudbury Valley Trustees
(Massachusetts)
Trust for Public Land
Trustees of Reservations (Massachusetts)
Vermont Land Trust
Vermont Renewable Fuels
Vermont River Conservancy
Vermont Woodlands Association
Whipstock Hill Preservation Society
(Vermont)
Wildlands Trust (Massachusetts)
Wonalancet Preservation Association
(New Hampshire)

OF THE

NEZ PERCE TRIBE

Honorable Chairman and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony from the Nez Perce Tribe to this subcommittee as it
evaluates and prioritizes the spending of the United States regarding the Indian
Health Service (IHS), the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Forest Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service in relation
to the needs of tribal nations for fiscal year 2015.
As with any government, the Nez Perce Tribe does a wide array of work and provides a multitude of services to the tribal membership as well as the community
at large. The Nez Perce Tribe has a health clinic with a satellite office, a tribal police force, a social services department, a comprehensive natural resource program
that does work in forestry, wildlife management, land services and land management, habitat restoration, air quality and smoke management, water quality and
sewer service, and one of the largest fisheries departments of any tribe in the Nation working on recovery of listed species under the Endangered Species Act. The
Nez Perce Tribe conducts its extensive governmental functions and obligations
through a comprehensive administrative framework, which is necessary for a sovereign nation that oversees and protects the treaty rights of the Nez Perce People
in addition to providing the day to day governmental services to its members and
the surrounding communities. The Nez Perce Tribe has long been a proponent of
self determination for tribes and believes its primary obligation is to protect the
treaty-reserved rights of the Nez Perce Tribe and its members. All of the work of
the tribe is guided by this principle. As a result, the tribe works extensively with
many Federal agencies and proper funding for those agencies and their work with,
for and through tribes is of vital importance. This work cannot be accomplished unless the United States continues to affirm and follow through on its trust responsibility and properly fund programs.

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INDIAN HEALTH SERVICES

The Nez Perce Tribe currently operates a healthcare clinic on the Nez Perce Reservation, Nimiipuu Health. The main clinic facility is located in Lapwai, Idaho and
a satellite facility of the main clinic is located 65 miles away in Kamiah, Idaho.
Nimiipuu Health provided service to 3,820 patients last year. These 3,820 patients
represented 47,673 visits which does not include pharmacy and laboratory visits but
only medical provider visits. Our expenditure total for fiscal year 2013 was
$13,489,355. Our Purchased/Referred Care costs for outpatient services for fiscal
year 2013 was $4,320,830.
Although the Nez Perce Tribe supports the proposed $200 million increase in
funding over the fiscal year 2014 levels proposed by the President, it is important
to note that this increase still lags far behind where funding should be to offset the
growth in the programs and medical inflation and in reality funding should be higher. Also, the $50 million dollar increase in funding proposed for purchased and referred care is vital, but it too falls well short of the true need in Indian Country
as is illustrated by the spending needs of just the Nez Perce clinic. Finally, the tribe
fully supports the $617 million that has been proposed by the President to be allocated for Contract Support Costs. Requesting full funding of these obligations is an
important and is appreciated.
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

The tribe supports the funding levels for contract support costs proposed in the
Presidents budget of $251 million dollars as well as the increased funding overall
for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The tribe also supports the Presidential budget request to include a Carcieri fix to address legal issues that have arisen related to
the transfer of land into trust. This Supreme Court decision has led to dozens of
court challenges that now brings into question the status of trust land of all tribal
governments, regardless of when they were federally recognized. This uncertainty
will only stifle and impede economic development in Indian Country. A legislative
amendment to restore the sovereign status of these lands to the state they were
prior to this court decision is needed now.
The tribe supports the $12 million dollar commitment in the Presidents budget
to address child and family welfare in Indian Country and job training issues. This
Tiwahe initiative is important as it recognizes the significant gap in culturally sensitive social service programs and the high unemployment due to lack of adequate
job training that plagues reservation communities. Continued study and development of solutions to these issues is important to help address the systemic problems
faced in this area.
In relation to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Public Safety and Justice budget, the
tribe advocates for at least the $351.9 million dollars in funding proposed in the
Presidents budget. The Nez Perce Reservation covers 1200 square miles and covers
five counties and has a mixture of tribal and non-tribal residents. The tribe provides
a full service law and justice program, beginning with a fully trained and staffed
police force, tribal court, prosecutor and related administrative functions. Currently,
the Nez Perce Tribe contributes over $718,000 per year to cover the shortfall in BIA
funding for the tribes law enforcement, $195,000 for judicial services, $339,000 for
prosecutorial services, $92,000 for public defender services and $300,000 for prisoner
boarding. This funding comes from tribal taxes on things such as tobacco levied by
the tribe and tribal gaming revenues. The funding for these programs needs to be
increased to account for the shortfalls in funding the tribe has to absorb to continue
the operation of these vital services on the reservation.
In relation to education, the tribe requests $42 million for Johnson OMalley
Funding, $5 million for tribal education departments and $88.2 million for tribal colleges such as the Northwest Indian College that operates a satellite campus on the
Nez Perce Reservation. It should also be noted that scholarship funding provided
by the BIA has remained static for the past decade while the cost of attending college has risen faster than can be accounted for by simple inflation. The tribe is currently working to set up an educational endowment to supplement the BIA education funds but the BIA funds need to be increased.
The tribe also relies on the BIA for funding for its work related to endangered
species and protection of the tribes treaty resources including Chinook and
steelhead salmon. The funding has also been used to supplement the research efforts of the tribe relative to other sensitive species. The BIA Endangered Species
Program should be restored at $3 million dollars as it provides tribes with the technical and financial assistance to protect endangered species on trust lands but funding of this program has declined significantly over the last 8 years. Also, the BIA
Natural Resource Tribal Priority Allocations should be increased to $10 million as

192
this funding has remained flat for years at just under $5 million. This expenditure
will help increase tribal land and management capabilities.
In addition, the funding provided under the BIA Rights Protection fund is critical
as it supports the exercise of off-reservation hunting and fishing for tribes like the
Nez Perce and it should be funded at $49.5 million dollars. The BIA single-line dollars do provide the foundation for core program administration and treaty rights
protection activities, such as harvest monitoring and conservation enforcement. And
of course, these efforts are central to the tribes fisheries management responsibilities as established in the treaties and further delineated in litigation regarding implementation of hunting and fishing treaty rights. It is important to understand
that this funding is not for equipment but is used for job creation and this funding
has stayed static.
The Nez Perce Tribe utilizes the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund and it
should be funded at $110 million dollars. The Nez Perce funding received under this
budget is used to rear 300,000 local stock coho smolts at Dworshak and Kooskia
hatcheries in the Clearwater River Basin. We also truck an additional 550,000 coho
smolts from a lower Columbia River hatchery (Eagle Creek Hatchery) up to the
Clearwater for release. Based on passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag information, 15,000 coho adults from our Clearwater releases crossed Bonneville Dam in
2011 where they provided a fishery for tribal and non-tribal fisheries on the Columbia River. Over 5,000 swam on to cross Lower Granite Dam where they continued
to provide a fishery, provide broodstock for the hatchery program and spawners in
the wild. Continued appropriations for this fund will allow this successful work to
continue.
The tribe also supports funding for the BIA Wildlife and Parks Tribal Priority Allocations of $3 million dollars and $6 million dollars as these funds allow for important work to be done on fish recovery through hatchery operation and maintenance.
As stated earlier, the tribe has invested a large amount of its personnel and resources in the restoration and recovery of this important resource through its fisheries programs. The State of Idaho directly benefits from this work as well through
its sports fisheries. These programs have been successful but more work needs to
be done. The Tribal Management and Development Program also needs increased
funding. The tribe recommends $20 Million for base and programmatic funding.
This program is critical for fish and wildlife management of the tribe.
FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, FOREST SERVICE CULTURAL PROTECTION

The tribe relies heavily on funding sources within the Fish and Wildlife Service
and the Forest Service. First, the Tribal Wildlife Grants program administered by
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is a cost effective expenditure for the Government. This small pot of money has resulted in huge returns from the tribes perspective. Since 2005, we have received four such grants that have allowed us to work
on such diverse issues as gray wolf monitoring, bighorn sheep research, and rare
plant conservation. Continued funding for the Tribal Wildlife Grant program will
allow recipient tribes to build capacity and maintain involvement in key conservation issues. It should be noted that this competitive grant does not simply dole out
funds for projects but awards grants based on the quality of the proposal. As mentioned above, the tribe has received four grants under this program totaling
$800,000 based on the quality of our research work. Funding for these grants was
reduced in fiscal year 2012 and fiscal year 2013. The tribe strongly urges this committee to increase this funding to $8 million as it provides a large return in work
for a small investment. It is also one of the few sources of funds tribes can tap into
for wildlife research.
The tribe also supports increased funding for the work of the Forest Service in
the protection of treaty reserved resources of tribes. There should be $31.2 million
dollars allocated for BIA Tribal Forestry Priority Allocations and $23.3 million for
BIA forestry projects. The Nez Perce Reservation and its usual and accustomed
areas are rich in natural resources and encompass eleven different national forests.
The tribe works closely with each forest administration to properly manage its resources on behalf of the Tribe. These range from protecting and properly managing
the products of the forest to managing the vast wildlife in each one such as elk,
deer, bighorn sheep and wolves. Increased funding is necessary so that the Forest
Service can meet these trust obligations and continue to work with tribes such as
the Nez Perce on a government-to-government basis. Finally, there should be $15
million dollars allocated for the Tribal Historic Preservation Office Program and $4
million dollars for repatriation to help ensure tribal remains and cultural properties
are protected to the greatest extent possible.

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

The Nez Perce Tribe currently implements, on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Air Rules for Reservations program (FARR) and receives
funding from the State and Tribal Assistance Grants Program and Tribal General
Assistance Grants. The $31 million dollar increase in the Presidents budget for
these grants is important and is supported by the tribe. The FARR program monitors air quality and regulates field burning throughout the Nez Perce Reservation.
The tribe is located in Region 10 of the EPA and this increase in funding is needed
for tribes to meet their air quality needs and operate programs under the delegation
of the EPA.
In addition to the air quality program, the Nez Perce Tribe is working with other
Idaho tribes on studying of fish consumption rates which is important in protecting
the health of tribal members. Funding for this work is important. The tribe is also
currently in facilitated discussions with the State of Idaho that are being funded
through grants from the EPA. The facilitated discussions involve the tribe adopting
water quality standards to improve the water quality on the Nez Perce Reservation.
The tribe also relies heavily on contract support dollars for our water resource programs such as storage tank remediation and watershed restoration.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony to the subcommittee. As you
can see, the Nez Perce Tribe does a tremendous amount of work in a variety of
areas. It is important that the United States continue to fund this work and uphold
and honor its trust obligations to tribes.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

NORTHERN WATERTHE NORTHERN COLORADO WATER

CONSERVANCY DISTRICT

APRIL 8, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
ERIC W. WILKINSON,
General Manager.

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PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NORTHWEST INDIAN FISHERIES COMMISSION

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity
to provide testimony on the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Environmental
Protection Agency fiscal year 2015 appropriations. My name is Lorraine Loomis and
I am the Vice-Chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC). The
NWIFC is comprised of the 20 tribes that are party to the United States v. Washington 1 (U.S. v. Washington). I am providing written testimony for the record in
support of funding to meet the many natural resources management responsibilities
required of the tribes.
SUMMARY OF FISCAL YEAR 2015 APPROPRIATIONS REQUESTS

Bureau of Indian Affairs:

Provide $17.146 million for Western Washington Fisheries Management;
Provide $3.082 million for Washington State Timber-Fish-Wildlife;
Provide $4.844 million for U.S./Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty;
Provide $2.4 million for Salmon Marking;
Provide $6.582 million for Fish Hatchery Maintenance;
Provide $3.35 million for Fish Hatchery Operations;
Provide $246.0 million for Contract Support;
Provide $9.948 million for Cooperative Landscape Conservation; and
Provide $725,000 for Watershed Restoration.
Environmental Protection Agency:
Provide $96.4 million for General Assistance Program; and
Provide $50.0 million for Puget Sound.
In February 2014 the treaty Indian tribes in western Washington celebrated the
40th anniversary of U.S. v. Washington (Boldt decision). The decision reaffirmed
tribal treaty-reserved rights to half of the harvestable salmon returning to the State
and was later expanded to include shellfish and some marine fish species. This landmark ruling is one of the greatest civil rights decisions in the history of the United
States. Moreover, the ruling established the tribes as co-managers and brought responsible salmon management to Washington by requiring that salmon be managed
river-by-river and that harvest limits be clearly defined.
Today, however, we find that the resource has diminished to the point that the
tribes are catching fewer fish with a 50 percent share then they were at the time
of the Boldt decision when they were catching less than 5 percent of the harvest.
The treaty-reserved rights are at grave risk today as the resources they are dependent on are disappearing. Wild salmon and their habitat continue to decline despite
massive reductions in harvest and a significant investment in habitat restoration.
For this reason the western Washington treaty tribes brought to the Federal Government our Treaty Rights at Risk (TRAR) initiative asking that the Federal Government meet their obligations to the tribes and their treaties by taking charge of
salmon recovery. We requested that the Federal Government implement their fiduciary duties by better protecting the tribes treaty-reserved resources. The Federal
Government has a non-discretionary obligation to provide adequate funding to the
tribes to allow them to protect and preserve these treaty rights. Salmon are critical
to the tribal cultures, traditions and their economies and by fulfilling these Federal
obligations by addressing our TRARwe will recover the salmon populations.
We are generally pleased with the Presidents fiscal year 2015 budget request,
which includes and builds on many of the subcommittees actions from the past few
years. It continues funding for science and technology, including research and analysis for sustainable management of our natural resources and climate adaptation.
On behalf of our 20 member tribes, I ask you to consider our requests for the BIA
and the EPA that are further described below.
JUSTIFICATION OF REQUESTS

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Rights Protection Implementation Subactivity
Tribes in the Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest with similar treaty-reserved
rights have collectively identified that no less than $49.5 million for Rights Protection Implementation (RPI) is necessary for essential tribal treaty rights management. We continue to support the Presidents emphasis to fund science and tech1 United States v. Washington, Boldt Decision (1974) reaffirmed Western Washington Tribes
treaty fishing rights.

195
nology activities related to climate issues. This will provide our tribes the capability
to identify, respond and adapt to the impacts of our changing climate. It will also
support scientific research, monitoring and analysis that are essential to the management of natural resources. It is important that tribes be provided the maximum
flexibility to develop specific science-based activities to meet their particular needs.
We support a proportionate allocation of these funds that is consistent with and proposed in the fiscal year 2014 budget. A summary of the four accounts of interest
to us within RPI are further identified below.
Provide $17.146 million for BIA Western Washington Fisheries Management.We
respectfully request $17.146 million, an increase of $8.854 million over the Presidents request of $8.562 million. The increase in fiscal year 2014 restored funding
back to the fiscal year 2010 level and was very much appreciated. However, we once
again ask Congress to address the remaining identified needs of the NWIFC and
our member tribes. Funding for this program allows for continued treaty harvest
management, population assessment, habitat protection and data gathering for
finfish, shellfish, groundfish, wildlife and other natural resource management needs.
Funds provide the necessary capacity for the treaty tribes to co-manage the resources with the State of Washington and to meet court required mandates.
Provide $3.082 million for BIA Washington State Timber-Fish-Wildlife.We respectfully request $3.082 million, an increase of $337,000 over the Presidents request of $2.745 million. Funding for this program is provided to improve forest practices on State and private lands while providing protection for fish, wildlife and
water quality. This will provide the necessary funding for tribal TFW programs to
fully participate in the TFW process.
Provide $4.844 million for BIA U.S./Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty.We respectfully request $4.844 million, an increase of $549,000 over the Presidents request of
$4.295 million. The Pacific Salmon Treaty (PST) Act of 1985 charges the United
States Section of the Pacific Salmon Commission with the responsibility for implementation of the PST, a bilateral treaty with Canada. Tribes assist in meeting the
Federal Governments obligations in implementing the treaty by participating in cooperative research and data gathering activities. This will provide sufficient funding
to ensure that the tribes can continue to participate effectively in the bi-lateral PST
process.
Provide $2.4 million for BIA Salmon Marking.We respectfully request $2.4 million, an increase of $1.328 million over the Presidents request of $1.072 million.
Funding for this program was mandated in 2003 by Congress that required all
salmon released from federally funded hatcheries be marked so they could be identified for conservation purposes. This allows tribes to mark salmon at tribal hatcheries and to use these marked fish to scientifically monitor salmon populations and
watersheds in western Washington. This amount is required to fully implement
more extensive selective fisheries targeted at these marked fish.
Fish, Wildlife and Parks Subactivity
Provide $6.582 million for BIA Fish Hatchery Maintenance.We support the
Presidents request of $6.582 million. Tribal fish hatcheries in western Washington
are part of the largest fish hatchery system in the world. These hatcheries provide
fish that significantly contribute to both non-Indian recreational and commercial
harvest, as well as for tribal fisheries. Funding for this program is provided to tribes
nationwide based on the ranking of annual maintenance project proposals. Today,
hatcheries also play a large role in recovering pacific salmon, many of which are
listed under the Endangered Species Act. A comprehensive needs assessment study
was conducted in fiscal year 2006 by the BIA at the request of Congress which identified a level of need of over $48.0 million in necessary hatchery maintenance and
rehabilitation costs.
Provide $3.35 million for BIA Fish Hatchery Operations.We respectfully request
$3.35 million, an increase of $1.575 million over the Presidents request of $1.775
million. This increase reflects the needs of the western Washington treaty tribes.
Funding for this program is provided to tribal hatcheries to support the rearing and
releasing of salmon and steelhead for harvest by Indian and non-Indian fisheries.
Hatcheries are a necessary part of fisheries management because of the lack of wild
salmon production due to habitat degradation. They continue to play a vital role in
supporting tribal fisheries and are now essential for maintaining the treaty right
to harvest fish. Without hatcheries tribes would have very few fisheries and their
treaty rights would be rendered meaningless.
Other Subactivities and Accounts
Provide $246.0 million for BIA Contract Support.We support the Presidents request of $246.0 million. Funding for this function is provided to tribal organizations

196
to ensure they have the capacity to manage Federal programs under self-determination contracts and self-governance compacts. These funds are critical as they directly support our governmental functions, which allow us to fully exercise our right
to self-govern. The amount requested is expected to fully fund the estimated need
in fiscal year 2015.
Provide $9.948 million for BIA Cooperative Landscape Conservation.We support
the Presidents request of $9.948 million. Funding for this program will help provide
the tribal capacity needed to participate and provide scientific input on climate
change issues. This will also allow tribes to provide their perspective on climate
change adaptation in the form of traditional ecological knowledge necessary to protect their treaty rights.
Provide $725,000 for BIA Watershed Restoration.We respectfully request
$725,000, an increase of about $475,000 over the fiscal year 2014 operating plan.
Funding for this program is contained in the Forestry SubactivityForestry
ProjectsWatershed Restoration account and supports our Salmon and Steelhead
Habitat Inventory and Assessment Program. This allows us to continue to provide
environmental data management, analysis, and reporting support. It also supports
the on-going efforts to develop information sharing and exchange tools and would
continue to support our tribes ability to adequately participate in watershed resource assessments and salmon recovery work.
Environmental Protection Agency
Provide $96.4 million for EPA General Assistance Program.We support the
Presidents request of $96.4 million. This funding has built essential tribal capacities and remains critical to the tribes ability to sustain their important water quality programs. Funding for this program continues to provide the capacity for tribal
environmental protection programs nationwide. This allows tribes to address their
most fundamental needs such as inadequate drinking water and basic sanitation.
Provide $50.0 million for EPA Puget Sound.We respectfully request $50.0 million, an increase of $25.0 million over the Presidents request of $25.0 million. The
Puget Sound Geographic Program provides essential funding that will help protect,
restore and enhance Puget Sound, an estuary of national significance. Funding for
this program will allow the tribes to participate in the necessary scientific work, implementation measures, and policy discussions on issues that affect our treaty
rights. It allows the tribes to participate in implementing the Puget Sound Action
Agenda and to also implement a wide range of projects aimed at improving the
health of Puget Sound by 2020.
CONCLUSION

We are sensitive to the budget challenges that Congress faces. We respectfully

urge you to continue to support our efforts to protect and restore our great natural
heritage that in turn will provide for thriving communities and economies. Thank
you.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

NORTON SOUND HEALTH CORPORATION

The requests of the Norton Sound Health Corporation (NSHC) for the fiscal year
2015 Indian Health Service (IHS) budget are as follows:
Appropriate an additional $372,371 to staff and operate the newly opened Norton Sound Regional Hospital; the IHS is not provided the full agreed-upon
amount.
Direct the IHS to fully fund the Village Built Clinic (VBC) leases in accordance
with section 804 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act and allocate an
additional $8.5 million to VBC leases.
Increase funding for injury prevention programs.
Shield the IHS from sequestration in fiscal year 2016 and beyond.
Place contract support costs on a mandatory funding basis.
Place IHS funding on an advance appropriations basis.
Support utilizing Medicare-like rates in the Purchased/Referred Care Program.
The Norton Sound Health Corporation is the only regional health system serving
northwestern Alaska. It is on the edge of the Bering Sea, just miles from the Russian border. We are not connected by road with any part of the State and are 500
air miles from Anchorageabout the distance from Washington, DC, to Portland,
Maine. Our service area encompasses 44,000 square miles, approximately the size
of Indiana. We are proud that our system includes a tribally owned regional hospital
which is operated pursuant to an Indian Self-Determination and Education Assist-

197
ance Act (ISDEAA) agreement, and 15 village-based clinics.1 The logistics and costs
associated with travel and transportation are a daily challenge, to say the least.
Additional Funding Needed To Staff New Hospital Facility.NSHC gained beneficial occupancy of its new replacement hospital and ambulatory care center facility
in Nome in June 2012, the construction of which was funded by the Recovery Act.
The IHS and NSHC have successfully worked as government-to-government partners to construct and furnish the new facility. However, the IHS is providing us
nearly $400,000 less for our staffing package in fiscal year 2014 than was agreed
to.
The replacement facility is almost three times the size of the former hospital and
will allow for increased patient visits in the primary and acute care areas, including
chronic disease prevention and management, and allow us to provide enhanced trauma and emergency services.
Now that the new facility is open, IHS has only to finish funding the expanded
staffing needs for operation of the replacement hospital. The IHS has notified us
that our fiscal year 2014 staffing package funding will be $8,410,000. This is not
the entire amount agreed to. The IHS is not providing the entire amount of funding
for the 351 full time equivalents (FTEs) in the signed, validated Resource Requirements Methodology (RRM). Rather, the funding provided is for 348 FTEs, a difference of 3 FTEs or $372,371 annually. That is a significant amount of funding
over time$3.7 million in 10 years plus contract support costs.
Our new hospital is located in a medically underserved area and has one of the
highest Health Professions Shortage Area scores in the Nation. NSHC has been
greatly limited in its ability to recruit and hire medical professionals, instead having
to focus primarily on hiring core operational staff. To fully realize the potential of
the new replacement hospital, and to ensure that we can safely provide adequate
and expanded healthcare services to the people in our region, we need the full
amount agreed to by the IHS.
Assistance Needed To End Chronic Underfunding Of Village Built Clinics.The
NSHC healthcare system includes 15 Village Built Clinics (VBCs). The VBCs are
essential for maintaining the IHS Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) in
Alaska, which provides the only local source of healthcare for many Alaska Native
people in rural areas. The CHAP program is mandated by Congress as the instrument for providing basic health services in remote Alaska Native villages. The
CHAP program cannot operate without the use of clinic facilities.
The IHS has for many years consistently under-funded the leases of VBCs even
though the IHS has had available appropriations to fully fund the leases. Lease
rental amounts for the VBCs have failed to keep pace with coststhe majority of
the leases for VBCs have not increased since 1989. The IHS has instead shifted its
statutory responsibilities onto the villages and NSHC, which does not have adequate
financial resources to maintain and upgrade the VBCs for CHAP staff. As a result,
many of the VBCs are unsafe or have had to be closed, leaving some villages in
Alaska without a local healthcare facility.
As indicated in our joint testimony with other Alaska healthcare providers to Congress in 2012, NSHC and many other tribal organizations in Alaska have discussed
this issue with the IHS on several occasions, and have proposed solutions that the
IHS continues to ignore. IHS continues to assert that it provides for VBC leases all
of the funds that Congress has appropriated for the program. In our view, the
amounts historically traceable to the VBC leases are not capped by statute and are
not the only funds available for that program. The Indian Health Facilities appropriation is a lump sum appropriation that can be used for construction, repair,
maintenance, improvements and equipment, and includes a sub-activity for maintenance and improvement of IHS facilities. The VBCs are IHS facilities acquired by
lease in lieu of construction and should thus be eligible for maintenance and improvement funding. The IHS can also access other IHS discretionary funds to fully
fund its VBC obligations.
For the fiscal year 2015, we urge that an additional $8.5 million be appropriated
to more fully fund VBC leases. We also ask that Congress direct the IHS to use existing fiscal year 2014 appropriations to fully fund the VBC leases in accordance
with 804 of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act.
Injury Prevention.Injury prevention efforts are particularly important to the
Norton Sound region; our extreme climate and the dangers of the Bering Sea result
in an exceptionally high number of injuries, many of them severe. The National
Center for Health Statistics reports that unintentional injury is the third leading
1 We serve the communities of: Brevig Mission, Council, Diomede, Elim, Gambell, Golovin,
King Island, Koyuk, Marys Igloo, Nome, St. Michael, Savoonga, Shaktoolik, Shishmaref, Solomon, Stebbins, Teller, Unalakleet, Wales, and White Mountain.

198
cause of death among American Indians and Alaska Natives, preceded by heart disease and cancer. The goal of the NSHC injury prevention program is to reduce unintentional injuries throughout the region. The success of the program truly depends
on the partnerships formed to share resources and extent our reach. We work to
provide safety education and resources in the areas of transportation (bike helmet
safety, pedestrian safety, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) safety, etc.) and home environmental safety (promote the use of smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, gun
locks, elder fall prevention, etc.).
A positive development was the move in September 2013 of our Injury Prevention
Program and Safety shop to our new hospital which has resulted in an increased
sale and use of safety itemsfor instance, we sold at the Safety Shop three times
as many ice cleats this year as the previous year. Within the last 6 months, the
Safety Shop also sold 4 float coats, 6 snowmobile float coats, 4 snowmobile float
bibs, 11 ATV helmets, 6 S.O.S. Survival kits and 22 visibility products. The Coast
Guard donated 300 float coats to the region (the Wear It Alaska initiative) which
has saved lives.
There is not an injury prevention line item in the IHS budget, although the IHS
makes multi-year injury prevention grants to a limited number of tribes. We are in
year 4 of a 5-year injury prevention grant; we took a 5 percent sequestration on our
$80,000 grant and are not guaranteed fifth year funding. We request that Congress
increase funding for IHS programs that incorporate injury prevention and direct the
agency to increase its injury prevention resources for tribes and tribal organizations.
Protect the IHS From Sequestration.The Office of Management and Budget determined that the IHSs appropriation is fully sequestrable, which resulted in a
$220 million cut in funding to the IHS for fiscal year 2013roughly 5 percent of
the IHSs overall budget. IHS lost funding for programs like hospitals and health
clinics services, contract health services, dental services, mental health and alcohol
and substance abuse. Programs and projects necessary for maintenance and improvement of health facilities felt these same impacts. These negative effects were
then passed down to every ISDEAA contractor, including NSHC. NSHC is already
significantly underfunded, resulting in further cuts to the availability of health services we were able to provide to our patients, resulting in real consequences for individuals who have to forego needed care. We are grateful that Congress enacted legislation that has averted a sequestration in fiscal year 2014 and likely will do the
same for fiscal year 2015. But beginning fiscal year 2016 the possibility of a sequestration will hang over IHS appropriations again.
We fail to understand why the responsibility for healthcare for Alaska Native and
American Indian people was taken less seriously than the Nations promises to provide health to our veterans. The Veterans Health Administration (VA) was made
fully exempt from the sequester for all programs administered by the VA. Also exempt are State Medicaid grants, and Medicare payments are held harmless except
for a 2 percent reduction for administration of the program. We thus strongly urge
the subcommittee to support amendment of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act to fully exempt the IHS from any future sequestration, just as
the VA and other health programs are exempt.
Contract Support Costs.We thank Congress, and particularly the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Subcommittee, for making it clear to the IHS and
the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) that fully funding contract support costs (CSC)
is a legal duty and for providing what we expect is full funding for fiscal year 2014.
The fiscal year 2015 IHS request of $617 million for CSC is also a reasonable estimate of what will be full funding. The next logical step is for Congress to fund the
CSC funding for the IHS and the BIA funding on a mandatory, rather than a discretionary, basis.
IHS on an Advance Appropriations Basis.We support legislation that would
place the IHS budget on an advance appropriations basis. The goal is for the IHS
and tribal healthcare providers to have adequate advance notice of the amount of
Federal appropriations to expect and thus not be subjected to the uncertainties of
late funding and short-term continuing resolutions. Congress provides advance appropriations for the Veterans Administration medical accounts, and the request is
for parity in the appropriations schedule for the IHS. Legislation to authorize IHS
advance appropriations has been introducedH.R. 3229 by Representative Young
and S. 1570 by Senators Murkowski and Begich.
Medicare-like Rates.The administration proposed in its budget justification that
tribes the IHS, and urban Indian organizations utilizing the Purchased/Referred
Care program be charged Medicare-like rates for non-hospital services, thus stretching the funding for that program. A Government Accountability Office report in
2013 concluded that IHS and tribal facilities would save millions of dollars and be
able to increase care if the Medicare-like rate cap was imposed on non-hospital pro-

199
viders and supplies through the Purchase/Referred Care program. This revenue-neutral proposal would require legislation and would make a very positive difference
in the amount of healthcare services that could be provided. We appreciate the $18
million proposed increase in Purchased/Referred Care budget, but that is but a
small slice of how much that program needs to be increased.
Thank you for your consideration of our request that adequate fiscal year 2015
IHS staffing funding be made available for the NSHC replacement hospital. We are
very excited about the possibilities this facility brings for improved healthcare for
the people of northwestern Alaska. We also appreciate the subcommittees consideration of our other requests.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

OPERA AMERICA The National Opera Center

Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the subcommittee, OPERA America

is grateful for the opportunity to submit testimony on behalf of OPERA America,
its board of directors and its 2,000 organizational and individual members. We
strongly urge the Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies of
the Committee on Appropriations to designate a total of $155 million to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for fiscal year 2015. This testimony and the
funding examples described below are intended to highlight the importance of Federal investment in the arts, so critical to sustaining a vibrant cultural community
throughout the country.
Opera is a continuously growing art form that can address the diverse needs and
backgrounds of our communities. New opera companies are being established in
communities that have never before had access to live performances. OPERA Americas membership includes 129 professional company members representing 41
States. Over half of these companies were established after 1970 and over 40 percent were established since 1980, indicating the growth of opera throughout North
America over the last 40 years.
In the 20112012 season, OPERA America members were involved with 45 world
premieres. Since 1900, 880 new operatic works have been produced by professional
opera companies in North America. Of that, 414 new operatic works have been produced since 2000. The growth in number and quality of American opera corresponds
directly to the investment of the NEAs earlier investment in the New American
Works program of the former Opera-Music Theater Program.
Beyond the opera house, opera companies are finding new and exciting ways to
bring the essence of opera to other local theaters and community centers, frequently
with new and innovative works that reflect the diverse cultures of the cities they
serve. Strong partnerships with local schools, too, extend the civic reach of opera
companies as they introduce children to another multi-media art form and discover
promising young talent.
THE NEA IS A GREAT INVESTMENT IN THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF EVERY COMMUNITY

Despite diminished resources, including a budget that has decreased by over $20
million since 2010, the NEA awarded more than 2,100 grants in 2013, totaling more
than $112 million in appropriated funds, and reaching more than 38 million people
who attended live arts events through NEA-supported programs. These grants help
nurture the growth and artistic excellence of thousands of arts organizations and
artists in every corner of the country. NEA grants also preserve and enhance our
Nations diverse cultural heritage. The modest public investment in the Nations cultural life results in both new and classic works of art, reaching the residents of all
50 States and in every congressional district.
The return of the Federal Governments small investment in the arts is striking.
In 2013, the American creative sector was measured by the Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The BEA and the NEA developed an Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account which calculated the arts and culture sectors contributions to the gross domestic product (GDP) at 3.2 percent (or $504 billion) of currentdollar GDP in 2011. Additionally, the nonprofit arts industry generates $135.2 billion annually in economic activity, supporting 4.13 million full-time equivalent jobs
in the arts and related industries.
On average each NEA grant leverages at least $9 from other State, local, and private sources, generating roughly $600 million in matching support. Few other Federal investments realize such economic benefits, not to mention the intangible benefits that only the arts make possible. Even in the face of cutbacks in the recent
years, the NEA continues to be a beacon for arts organizations across the country.
The return on investments is not only found in dollar matches. The average city
and county reports that nonprofit arts and culture organizations had 5,215 volun-

200
teers who donated 201,719 hours. These volunteer hours have a value of approximately $4.5 milliona demonstration that citizens value the arts in their communities.
NEA GRANTS AT WORK

Past NEA funding has directly supported projects in which arts organizations, artists, schools and teachers collaborated to provide opportunities for adults and children to create, perform, and respond to artistic works. NEA funding has also made
the art form more widely available in all States, including isolated rural areas and
inner cities; indeed, NEA funded projects cross all racial, geographic, and socioeconomic lines.
NEA grants are awarded to opera organizations through its core programs: Art
Works; Challenge America Fast Track Grants; and Federal/State Partnerships. In
fiscal year 2013, the NEA awarded 84 grants to the opera field through grants for
arts projects categories, totaling $2,837,000.
The following are some examples of the impact of NEA funding on opera programs
from the NEAs 2013 Art Works Program:
ANCHORAGE OPERA COMPANY$12,500; ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

To support Soldier Songs, a chamber opera by composer David T. Little. The

work explores the plight of soldiers who face the challenge of reintegrating into
normal life after having returned home from war. Told from the point of view of
a single character during various stages of life, the work seeks to blur the tradition
of linear narrative in opera. Accompanying the production will be several educational activities, including evening dress rehearsals, and teacher study guides that
link the opera to the subjects of math, science, reading, and language arts. Pre-performance lecture-demonstrations will provide admission-free adult lectures by the
creative team.
LYRIC OPERA OF KANSAS CITY$20,000; KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

To support STAGES summer opera camp for youth. The program will feature
training in design and technical aspects of performing arts production and will provide students with a significant hands-on experience to help prepare them for potential careers in the performing arts.
NASHVILLE OPERA ASSOCIATION$12,500; NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

To support an audio recording of a revised edition of Romulus Hunt, a one-act

opera by composer Carly Simon. Originally commissioned in 1993 by the Metropolitan Opera and the Kennedy Center, the semi-autobiographical dramatic work deals
with operatic thems of love and betrayal as presented through the tribulations of
a loving family fractured by divorce. Performances will occur at the Noah Liff Opera
Center and recording will occur at Ocean Way Studios.
OPERA PARALLELE$15,000; SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

To support the American premier of Anya 17, a recently commissioned opera by

composer Adam Gorb and librettist Ben Kaye. The opera portrays human trafficking
as experienced by the central character, Anya. The plot unfolds through a series of
short, fast-paced flashbacks that detail how Anya is deceived into traveling abroad
and sold as a prostitute.
OPERA THEATRE OF ST. LOUIS$90,000; ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

To support the commission, development, and premier of Shalimar the Clown

by composer Jack Perla and librettist/playwright Rajiv Joseph. Based on the novel
by Salman Rushdie, the story takes place in the disputed region of Kashmir and
focuses on the love story of a young Hindu woman, Boonyi, a dancer, and a Muslim
man, Shalimar, an acrobat. The story is one of love, revenge, cultural clashes, and
war.
More than half of OPERA Americas member companies were established after
1970 (corresponding to the establishment of the NEA) and over 40 percent were established since 1980, indicating the growth of opera throughout in the last 40 years.
In the 2010 and 2011 calendar years, OPERA Americas members were involved
with 35 world premieres an. 369 new operatic works have been produced in North
America since 2000.
Over 6.5 million people attended a live performance at one OPERA Americas
member companies during the 20112012 season, including educational and out-

201
reach programs and festivals. During this same season, member opera companies
presented 3,133 mainstage, festival, educational, and other productionsalmost 3
times and many productions as the previous season. The collective expenses of member opera companies totaled $1.16 billionalmost double last years expenses. Total
government support, including city, county, State, and Federal, amounted to $37.5
million, representing approximately 3.8 percent of total operating income.
Despite overwhelming support by the American public for spending Federal tax
dollars in support of the arts, the NEA has never recovered from a 40 percent budget cut in the mid-nineties and found its budget further decreased by $22 million
since 2010, leaving its programs seriously underfunded. We urge you to continue toward restoration and increase the NEA funding allocation to $155 million for fiscal
year 2015.
On behalf of OPERA America, thank you for considering this request.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

OREGON WATER RESOURCES CONGRESS

FISCAL YEAR 2015 BUDGET FOR THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYS CLEAN
WATER STATE REVOLVING FUND LOAN PROGRAM

The Oregon Water Resources Congress (OWRC) is concerned about continued reductions to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) Clean Water State
Revolving Fund Loan Program (CWSRF) and is requesting that appropriations for
this program be increased to at least $2 billion in fiscal year 2015. The CWSRF is
an effective loan program that addresses critical water infrastructure needs while
benefitting the environment, local communities, and the economy. OWRC is also
concerned about various efforts by EPA to increase regulatory authority over water
resources planning and urges the Senate to take action and prevent further jurisdictional overreach. EPAs actions to increase its jurisdiction are counterproductive to
collaborative planning and detract from the positive solutions achieved through the
CWSRF program.
OWRC was established in 1912 as a trade association to support the protection
of water rights and promote the wise stewardship of water resources statewide.
OWRC members are local governmental entities, which include irrigation districts,
water control districts, drainage districts, water improvement districts, and other
agricultural water suppliers that deliver water to roughly one-third of all irrigated
land in Oregon. These water stewards operate complex water management systems,
including water supply reservoirs, canals, pipelines, and hydropower production.
FISCAL YEAR 2015 APPROPRIATIONS

We recognize that our country is facing difficult economic times and that we must
make strategic investments with scarce resources. The CWSRF is a perfect example
of the type of program that should have funding increased because it creates jobs
while benefitting the environment, and is an efficient return on taxpayer investment. Oregon is facing record levels of unemployment and the CWSRF funded
projects provide much needed construction and professional services jobs. Moreover,
as a loan program, it is a wise investment that allows local communities to leverage
their limited resources and address critical infrastructure needs that would otherwise be unmet.
Nationally, there are large and growing critical water infrastructure needs. In
EPAs most recent needs surveys, The Clean Watersheds Needs Survey 2008: Report
to Congress and Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment:
Fourth Report to Congress, the estimated funding need for drinking water infrastructure totaled $335 billion (in 2007 dollars) and wastewater infrastructure needs
totaled $298 billion (in 2008 dollars). Appropriations for water infrastructure, specifically CWSRF, should not be declining but remaining strong in order to meet
these critical needs.
In 2012 appropriations for the CWSRF program was approximately $2.384 billion
and declined to $1.448 billion in fiscal year 2014. The Presidents fiscal year 2015
budget proposes only $1.018 billion for the CWRSF program; a $430 million reduction from fiscal year 2014 enacted levels. We are concerned as we see this negative
downward trend continuing.
OWRC is supportive of the Presidents Climate Action Plan and related efforts to
support actions that help address, mitigate, and adapt to severe weather events, like
drought, that are related to climate change. We are, however; concerned about
where the $2 million would come from and do not want any realigning to result
in reduced funding for other important water infrastructure programs like CWSRF.
There has not been an increase in funding for CWSRF since 2009; meanwhile, both

202
infrastructure needs and the costs to address those needs continue to grow each
year. Continued funding reductions has led to delaying repairs or upgrades which
in turn increase the potential for catastrophic failure and is counterproductive to the
administrations desire to encourage asset management and sustainable water infrastructure. To the extent practicable, funding for climate change should be incorporated into existing programs with proven successes like the CWSRF.
We also continue to be highly supportive of the administrations desire to expand
green infrastructure and are appreciative of the 20 percent green infrastructure
target for fiscal year 2015. In fact, irrigation districts and other water suppliers in
Oregon are on the forefront of green infrastructure through innovative piping
projects that provide multiple environmental benefits, which is discussed in greater
detail below. However, continually reducing the amount of funds available for these
worthwhile projects is counterproductive to the administrations desire and has created increased uncertainty for potential borrowers about whether adequate funding
will be available in future years. CWSRF is often an integral part of an overall
package of State, Federal and local funding that necessitates a stronger level of assurance that loan funds will be available for planned water infrastructure projects.
Reductions in the CWSRF could lead to loss of grant funding and delay or derail
beneficial projects that irrigation districts have been developing for years.
Additionally, OWRC is pleased to see that EPA will continue strategic partnerships with the USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) and other
Federal agencies to improve water quality and address nonpoint source pollution.
Oregon had four priority watersheds eligible for funding through the National
Water Quality Initiative in 2013 and anticipates that additional watersheds will be
included in the future. As Oregon is a delegated State, OWRC also feels strongly
that the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is best situated to develop and implement activities to improve these and other impaired waterways in
the State. DEQ and its administration of the CWSRF has been an extremely valuable tool in Oregon for improving water quality and efficiently addressing infrastructure challenges that are otherwise cost-prohibitive.
CWSRF LOCAL SUCCESS AND NEEDS

Six OWRC member districts have successfully received loans from the CWSRF
over the last several years and many more will apply if funds are available. Numerous irrigation districts and other water suppliers need to pipe currently open canals,
thereby improving water quality by eliminating run-off into the canals and increasing water availability for fish and irrigators by reducing water loss from the delivery
system. Four irrigation districts received over $11 million funding in Oregon from
the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding through the
CWSRF for projects which created valuable jobs while improving water quality.
These four projects were essential to DEQ not only meeting but exceeding the minimum requirement that 20 percent of the total ARRA funding for the CWSRF be
used for green projects. Those districts applications had been on DEQs list of eligible projects for many years and would probably still be on that list had the ARRA
funding not been made available. We provide that comment not to complain, but to
emphasize the need for additional funding for this program.
What is being proposed for fiscal year 2015 is far short of what is needed to address critical water infrastructure needs in Oregon and across the Nation. This will
lead to fewer water infrastructure projects, and therefore a reduction in improvements to water quality. The DEQs most recent Proposed Intended Use Plan Update #1State fiscal year 2014, lists 18 projects in need of a total of $45,265,547
in Oregon alone. The Federal capitalization grant funding that has been historically
available to DEQ has not yet been awarded for fiscal year 2014; however, based on
previous years it is doubtful that the fiscal year 2014 funding will be adequate to
address and complete these much needed projects. Unfortunately, due to recent cutbacks and lack of availability of funds, no irrigation districts submitted applications
for funding in 2014, but we are hopeful that with an increase in money available,
more of our member districts will apply for funding to complete projects that will
not only benefit the environment and the patrons served by the water delivery system, but also benefit the economy.
THE IMPORTANCE AND SUCCESS OF LOCAL WATERSHED PLANNING

Oregons success in watershed planning illustrates that planning efforts work best
when diverse interests develop and implement plans at the local watershed level
with support from State government. Oregon has recently revised their CWSRF
rules; thus making conservation easier and its benefits to be better achieved in the
State. That is why OWRC is very concerned about EPAs recent efforts to revise

203
Clean Water Act Guidance without appropriate public process or legislative oversight. The proposed changes would greatly broaden EPA authority and illustrates
an apparent desire to dictate watershed planning methods for the Nation using a
top-down regulatory approach from a desk in Washington DC. This regulatory overreach will lead to uncertainty for landowners and water users, increased litigation
and destroy collaborative efforts (including CWSRF projects) already underway in
Oregon and across the Nation.
As the national model for watershed planning, Oregon does not need a new Federal agency or Executive Branch office to oversee conservation and restoration efforts. Planning activities are conducted through local watershed councils, volunteerdriven organizations that work with local, State and Federal agencies, economic and
environmental interests, agricultural, industrial and municipal water users, local
landowners, tribes, and other members of the community. There are over 60 individual watershed councils in Oregon that are already deeply engaged in watershed
planning and restoration activities. Watershed planning in Oregon formally began
in 1995 with the development of the Oregon Plan for Salmon Recovery and Watershed Enhancement, a statewide strategy developed in response to the Federal listing of several fish species. This strategy led to the creation of the Oregon Watershed
Enhancement Board (OWEB), a State agency and policy oversight board that funds
and promotes voluntary and collaborative efforts that help create and maintain
healthy watersheds and natural habitats that support thriving communities and
strong economies in 1999.
CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we applaud the CWSRF program for allowing Oregons DEQ to

make targeted loans that address Clean Water Act issues and improve water quality
but also help incentivize innovative water management solutions that benefit local
communities, agricultural economies, and the environment. This voluntary approach
creates and promotes cooperation and collaborative solutions to complex water resources challenges. Conversely, regulatory overreach destroys cooperation, creates
mistrust and has a very negative effect on jobs and local economies. We respectfully
request the appropriation of at least $2 billion for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencys Clean Water State Revolving Loan Fund for fiscal year 2015.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

OUTDOOR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION

MAY 22, 2014.

Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman and Ranking Member: On behalf of the Outdoor Industry Association, and our more than 1,300 member companies, I write to urge you to support
adequate and sustainable funding for the recreation and preservation programs of
the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Forest Service and the Environmental Protection Agency. This year we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Land and Water
Conservation Fund and the Wilderness Act and are approaching the National Park
Service Centennial in 2016. Now, more than ever, is the time to prepare our public
lands and waters for the next century by investing in these very places that provide
clean air and water, American jobs, attract international tourists, unite communities and make America a healthier, more prosperous place to raise a family and
start a business.
The strength of our national economy is directly linked to the treasures that are
our parks, forests, waterways, wildlife refuges, recreational trails and similar recreation assets. These public lands and waters are deeply popular with American families nationwide. Moreover, they represent a foundational infrastructure for recreation, just as important as highways are to the transportation industry or fiber optic
lines are to the telecommunications industry. Diverse, accessible, and affordable
places for every American to get outdoors and enjoy healthy lifestyles are crucial
to the health and well being of the American people and our economy.
Rather than compounding our deficit problems, our national outdoor recreation
system produces exceptional economic value and jobs in communities across the
country. Our public lands and waters drive a recreational economy that spawns

204
$646 billion in direct consumer spending, supports more than 6 million sustainable
American jobs, and generates more than $80 billion in Federal, State and local tax
revenue. At the local level, resources invested in recreational trail infrastructure,
river access and other open spaces have an impressive and sustainable return for
local economies, especially those in rural areas. For every $1 spent on the national
parks, local communities see a $10 return. We saw the reverse of this investment
during last years Government shutdown, when gateway communities lost upwards
of $76 million each day as nearby public lands were closed.
More than ever Americans are prioritizing the outdoors, with half of our population, 140 million people, recreating outside each year. Americans spend more on
outdoor recreation than on pharmaceuticals, gasoline and motor vehicles and in
2013 outdoor product sales were up 10.3 percent. In fact, outdoor product sales grew
more than 7 percent in both 2011 and 2012 while other industries were suffering
from the recession. We need Congress to support the growing outdoor economy and
the people and communities who rely on it.
In real terms, Federal spending on natural resources and recreation programs has
declined over the last 20 years. This program area comprised less than 1 percent
of the total Federal budget for fiscal year 2013. Natural resources, recreation, bicycling, and community development programs are, at best, paltry contributors to the
Federal deficit yet they have been disproportionately targeted for cuts in the past.
We believe this should be avoided as Congress begins consideration of the fiscal year
2015 Federal appropriations. These programs need to be recognized as shining examples of economic growth engines and the type of sound investment that the Federal Government should pursue.
To do this we ask Congress to fulfill the promise and obligation of the LWCF fund
and to recognize the importance and value of the investments in the natural resources, recreation, conservation, and preservation programs found in the budgets
for the Department of the Interior, the Forest Service, and the EPA. We urge Congress to prepare the National Parks System for its second century by funding backlogged maintenance and considering opportunities for public/private partnerships,
and to fund any amount above 70 percent of the anticipated cost of wildfire suppression from an emergency fund outside of the land management agencies budgets.
Please provide adequate funding for the our Nations public lands and waters as
outlined below:
Department of the Interior$11.9 billion
National Park Service Centennial
$40 million increasefiscal year 2015 appropriations
$400 million in permanent funding each year for the next 3 years,
$100 millionCentennial Challenge
$200 millionNational Park Service facilities improvements
$100 millionCentennial Land Management Investment Fund
Land and Water Conservation Fund (Total)$900 million
AgricultureNational Forest System (USFS)$5.4 billion
EPAProtecting Americas Waters$3.4 billion
Investments in green spaces and outdoor recreation infrastructure create healthy
and productive communities that offer lasting, good jobs and draw businesses and
entrepreneurs. There is no doubt that people use green spaces when theyre available, well maintained and close at hand. A growing body of evidence demonstrates
that access to parks, trails, and other places to play has significant economic and
health benefits.
Outdoor recreation and the outdoor industry are a core economic sector in America, driven by innovation and technology. Sustainable, American jobs exist across
the value chainsuppliers, manufacturers, retailers, sales representatives. Moreover, outdoor recreation is an industry that America dominates worldwide. The
world looks to America as the leader in the protection of our public lands and waters and looks to American brands for innovative outdoor products, gear, apparel
and footwear.
A healthy and diverse outdoor recreation economy promotes economic activity and
jobs in every communitylarge & small, urban & ruralacross America. Outdoor
recreation and the places that Americans get outside parks, trails, rivers and open
spaceare critical economic drivers and essential to a high quality of life. Cutting
funding that supports those quality places directly and adversely impacts not just
the outdoor industry, but a diversity of other industries and myriad associated businesses that chose their location, in large part, on accessible, healthy public lands
and watersheds and outdoor spaces to be enjoyed by their workforce. Conversely, investing in these quality lands and waters promises significant economic growth for
both the outdoor industry and the many associated businesses that choose to locate

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near public lands and outdoor spaces in order to improve the quality of life experience for their employees.
Please promote a strong economy and happy, healthy families and communities
by investing in our Nations parks, trails, rivers and open spaces.
Respectfully,
KIRK BAILEY,
Vice PresidentGovernment Affairs.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

OUTDOORS ALLIANCE

FOR

KIDS

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, and members of the subcommittee:

We, the undersigned members of the Outdoors Alliance for Kids (OAK), thank you
for your past support of programs to connect children and youth with the outdoors,
and we urge you to sustain funding for fiscal year 2015 programs at the U.S. Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Forest Service
that increase engagement in the outdoors through outdoor education, community
health and wellness, and environmental stewardship programs that engage children, youth and young veterans in the outdoors. We also urge you to maintain sufficient funding for agencies to adequately manage our public lands and waters.
OAK is a national strategic partnership of businesses and organizations representing more than 30 million individuals from diverse sectors of the economy with
the common interest in expanding the number and quality of opportunities for children, youth, and families to connect with the outdoors. OAK supports public policies
and investments that expand outdoor education opportunities, promote community
health and wellness, and engage more youth in environmental stewardship. A list
of OAKs organizational members can be found here.
We understand that we are in difficult fiscal times, but balancing the budget at
the expense of programs and initiatives that ensure children and youth have opportunities to learn, get physically active, and increase their volunteerism in the outdoors will be a detriment to our great Nation. Environmental education provides
critical tools for a 21st century workforce by giving students the skills to understand
complex environmental systems and issues, and prepares students to compete globally and address environmental challenges and opportunities that impact our economy, health, and national security. Community health and wellness are critical investments for the local economy as well. The prevention of chronic diseases can save
lives, as well as promote the physical and mental wellbeing of all Americans. Environmental stewardship can provide opportunities for young people to not only spend
more time outdoors, but also to obtain basic job skills as the youth unemployment
rates skyrocket. In addition to contributing to our Nations robust outdoor recreation
economy, youth volunteer and work programs help address a backlog of maintenance needs piling up on our public lands, address record youth unemployment, and
prepare a diverse group of youth to be the next generation of natural resource employees.
These areas are vital to the success of the U.S. in the global economy, and to our
ability to create a 21st century workforce that is healthy, skilled, and prepared to
be the next generation of leaders. The outdoor industry alone provides 6.1 million
jobs and $646 billion in direct consumer spending each year. Outdoor recreation,
such as that enjoyed in national, State, and local parks, provides millions of Americas children, youth, and families with an opportunity to hike, bike, swim, paddle
or simply commune with nature. The outdoor recreation economy generates $39.9
billion in Federal revenue and another $39.7 billion in State and local revenue annually.
OAK supports funding and initiatives to increase outdoor education, promote community health and wellness and provide young people with jobs, training, and service and volunteer opportunities that connect them to the outdoors and recreation.
We urge the subcommittee to restore funding to allow land management agencies
to adequately manage our public lands and waters and to provide robust funding
for the following programs that get youth outdoors:
Department of the Interior.OAK supports the Department of the Interiors goal
of providing 40,000 work and training opportunities over fiscal years 2014 and
2015. To this end, we urge you to support the administrations budget request
of $50.6 million for youth programs in the Bureau of Land Management, U.S.
Geological Survey, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Bureau of
Indian Affairs, and the Bureau of Reclamation. A key component of the Departments efforts will be partnering with youth organizations through the 21st Century Conservation Service Corps (21CSC). The opportunities provided by 21CSC
will encourage youth to assume responsibility for the stewardship and preserva-

206
tion of Americas great outdoors, teach them basic job skills at a time when
youth unemployment is near record levels and young people are missing out on
critical early job experiences, and improve public health by helping young people develop and maintain active lifestyles. In addition, we urge you to fund the
National Park Service Centennial Challenge, to support thousands of veterans,
youth, and others to work to upgrade the National Park System for its 100th
anniversary in 2016.
We also urge you to sustain funding for the operational accounts of the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Fish
and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service, all of which could fund partnerships with Conservation Corps.
Environmental Protection Agency.OAK urges the subcommittee to sustain
funding for the National Environmental Education Act (NEEA) programs at the
Environmental Protection Agency at the recent level of $9.7 million. This program implements highly successful, nationwide environmental education programs. These programs support life-long environmental education and stewardship through several highly-leveraged, but under-resourced programs, including
the National Environmental Education Training Program to provide professional development for teachers, the National Environmental Education Foundation to leverage public/private partnerships, and an environmental education
grant program to support local environmental education providers.
We thank you in advance for your support for these critical programs and look
forward to working with you and your staff in the coming year.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
This testimony is submitted on behalf of the following 39 members of the Outdoors Alliance for Kids:
Alliance for Childhood
American Canoe Association
American Hiking Society
American Society of Landscape
Architects
American Youthworks
Appalachian Mountain Club
Association of Outdoor Recreation and
Education
Children & Nature Network
Choose Outdoors
Conservation Legacy
GirlTrek
Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
International Mountain Bicycling
Association
IslandWood
Izaak Walton League of America
Kids4Trees
National Interscholastic Cycling
Association
National Military Family Association
National Outdoor Leadership School

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

National Park Trust

National Parks Conservation Association
National Recreation and Park
Association
National Wildlife Federation
NatureBridge
North American Association for
Environmental Education
ONeill Sea Odyssey
Outdoor Afro
Outdoor Outreach
Outdoors Empowered Network
Public Lands Service Coalition
Sierra Club
The Corps Network
The Outdoor Foundation
The Wilderness Society
Trout Unlimited
Trust for Public Land
Wilderness Inquiry
Winter Wildlands Alliance
YMCA of the USA

PACIFIC SALMON COMMISSION

Mr. Chairman, and honorable members of the subcommittee, I am McCoy Oatman

the Alternate Tribal Commissioner for U.S. Section of the Pacific Salmon Commission (PSC). The U.S. Section prepares an annual budget for implementation of the
treaty. The integrated budget details program needs and costs for tribal, Federal,
and State agencies involved in the treaty. The tribal participation in the Pacific
Salmon Treaty process is funded in the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) budget.
In order meet the increased obligations under the 20092018 Pacific Salmon
Treaty Agreement the 25 affected tribes identified costs at $4,800,000 for tribal
research projects and participation in the U.S.-Canada Pacific Salmon Treaty
process, an increase of $520,000 over fiscal year 2014 enacted level. The funding
for tribal participation in the U.S./Canada Salmon Treaty is a line item in the

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BIAs budget under the Rights Protection Implementation, Wildlife and Parks,
Other Recurring Programs Area.
Under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service programs, the U.S. Section identified needs
as follows:
USFWS participation in the treaty process is identified at a base level of
$417,000. The Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commissions Regional Mark
Center receives support from the USFWS to provide data services to the PSC
process. Those costs are identified at $315,000. This funding level represents an
increase of $75,000 over fiscal year 2012 enacted levels for the Mark Center to
make up for losses from other programs and allow the Mark Center to maintain
the same level of service to the U.S. Section.
This base funding for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service supports critically important on-going work. The funding for Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commissions
Regional Mark Center is utilized to meet Treaty requirements concerning data exchange with Canada. These program recommendations are integrated with those of
the State and Federal agencies to avoid duplication of effort and provide for the
most efficient expenditure of scarce funds.
A copy of the integrated U.S. Section Budget Justification will be made available
to the subcommittee. The budget summary justifies the support needed to carry out
necessary functions in implementing the treaty. Funding to support activities under
the Pacific Salmon Commission comes from the Departments of Interior, State, and
Commerce. Adequate funding from all three Departments is necessary for the U.S.
to meet its treaty obligations. All of the funds are needed for critical data collection
and research activities directly related to the implementation and are used in cooperative programs involving Federal, State, and tribal fishery agencies and the Department of Fisheries in Canada. The commitment of the United States is matched
by the commitment of the Government of Canada.
The U.S. Section of the Pacific Salmon Commission is recommending an adjustment to support the work carried out by the 24 treaty tribes that participate in the
implementation of the treaty. Programs carried out by the tribes are closely coordinated with those of the States and Federal agencies. Tribal programs are essential
for the United States to meet its international obligations. Tribal programs have
taken on additional management responsibilities due to funding issues with State
agencies. All participating agencies need to be adequately supported to achieve a
comprehensive U.S. effort to implement the Treaty.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service activities are necessary so the U.S. can maintain the critical database to implement the treaty. The work of the Regional Mark
Processing Center includes maintaining and updating a coastwide computerized information management system for salmon harvest and catch effort data as required
by the treaty. This work has become even more important to monitor the success
of management actions at reducing impacts on ESA-listed salmon populations. Canada has a counterpart database. The database will continue to be housed at the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission.
Mr. Chairman, the United States and Canada established the Pacific Salmon
Commission, under the Pacific Salmon Treaty of 1985, to conserve salmon stocks,
provide for optimum production of salmon, and to control salmon interceptions.
After more than 20 years, the work of the Pacific Salmon Commission continues to
be essential for the wise management of salmon in the Northwest, British Columbia,
and Alaska. For example, upriver Bright fall Chinook salmon from the Hanford
Reach of the Columbia River are caught in large numbers in Alaskan and Canadian
waters. Tribal and non-tribal fishermen harvest sockeye salmon from Canadas Fraser River in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and in Puget Sound. Canadian trollers off
of the west coast of Vancouver Island catch Washington coastal Coho salmon and
Puget Sound Chinook salmon. In the Northern Boundary area between Canada and
Alaska, fish from both countries are intercepted by the other country in large numbers. The Commission provides a forum to ensure cooperative management of salmon populations. In 2008, the U.S. and Canada successfully concluded lengthy negotiations to improve this management, including the adjustments to the coastwide
abundance-based management regime for Chinook salmon and a framework for
abundance based management for southern Coho populations. The agreement is intended to last through 2018. The U.S. and Canada completed a revised Fraser River
sockeye and pink chapter in 2013.
Before the treaty, fish wars often erupted with one or both countries overharvesting fish that were returning to the other country, to the detriment of the resource. At the time the treaty was signed, Chinook salmon were in a severely depressed state as a result of overharvest in the ocean as well as environmental deg-

208
radation in the spawning rivers. Under the treaty, both countries committed to rebuild the depressed runs of Chinook stocks, and they recommitted to that goal in
1999 when adopting a coastwide abundance based approach to harvest management. Under this approach, harvest management will complement habitat conservation and restoration activities being undertaken by the States, tribes, and other
stakeholders in the Pacific Northwest to address the needs of salmon listed for protection under the Endangered Species Act. The 2008 Chinook agreement continues
these commitments. The combination of these efforts is integral to achieving success
in rebuilding and restoring healthy, sustainable salmon populations.
Finally, you should take into account the fact that the value of the commercial
harvest of salmon subject to the treaty, managed at productive levels under the
treaty, supports the infrastructure of many coastal and inland communities. The
value of the recreational fisheries, and the economic diversity they provide for local
economies throughout the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, is also immense. The value
of these fish to the 24 treaty tribes in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho goes far beyond their monetary value, to the cultural and religious lives of Indian people. A
significant monetary investment is focused on salmon as a result of listings of Pacific Northwest salmon populations under the Endangered Species Act. Given the
resources, we can continue to use the Pacific Salmon Commission to develop recommendations that help to ensure solutions that minimize impacts on listed stocks,
especially if we are allowed to work towards the true intent of the treaty: mutually
beneficial enhancement of the shared resource.
Mr. Chairman, that concludes my written testimony submitted for consideration
by your subcommittee. I want to thank the Committee for the support that it has
given the U.S. Section in the past. Please feel free to contact me, or other members
of the U.S. Section to answer any questions you or subcommittee members may
have regarding the U.S. Section of the Pacific Salmon Commission budget.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

PARTNERSHIP

FOR THE

NATIONAL TRAILS SYSTEM

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee: The Partnership for the National Trails System appreciates your support over the past 20 years, through operations funding and dedicated Challenge Cost Share funds, for the national scenic
and historic trails administered by the National Park Service. We also appreciate
your increased allocation of funds to support the trails administered and managed
by the Forest Service and for the trails in the Bureau of Land Managements National Landscape Conservation System. To continue the progress that you have fostered, the Partnership requests that you provide annual operations funding for each
of the 30 national scenic and historic trails for fiscal year 2015 through these appropriations:
National Park Service.$16.21 million for administration of 23 trails and for
coordination of the long-distance trails program by the Washington office. Construction.$380,000 for the Ice Age Trail, $240,000 for the Appalachian Trail,
and $200,000 for the Pacific Crest Trail.
USDA Forest Service.$7.896 million to administer 6 trails and $1.2 million to
manage parts of 16 trails administered by the National Park Service (NPS) or
the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). $1 million for Iditarod Trail construction.
Bureau of Land Management.$1.53 million to administer three trails and for
coordination of the National Trails program and $7.14 million to portions of 13
trails administered by the Park Service or the Forest Service and for operating
five National Historic Trail interpretive centers. Construction.$300,000 for the
Pacific Crest Trail.
We ask that you appropriate $4.5 million for the National Park Service Challenge Cost Share Program and continue to direct one-third ($1,500,000) for national scenic and historic trails or create a separate $1.5 million National Trails
System Challenge Cost Share Program.
We ask that you add $500,000 to the Bureau of Land Managements Challenge
Cost Share Program and allocate it for the national scenic and historic trails
it administers or manages.
We ask that you appropriate $57,695,000 from the Land and Water Conservation
Fund for the acquisition of 53 tracts along seven national scenic and eight national
historic trails described in the National Trails System Collaborative Landscape
Planning proposal and allocate this funding to the:
Bureau of Land Management: $15,246,000 million;
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: $7,829,000 million;
U.S. Forest Service: $15,271,000 million; and

209
National Park Service: $25,002,600 million.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

The $16.21 million we request for Park Service operations includes increases for
some of the trails to continue the progress and new initiatives made possible by the
additional funding Congress provided several years ago. Funding for the new Star
Spangled Banner and Washington-Rochambeau Trails and $400,000 for the Park
Service to implement planning for the New England Trail is included.
We request an increase of $626,000 to expand Park Service efforts to protect cultural landscapes at more than 200 sites along the Santa Fe Trail, to develop geographic information system (GIS) mapping, and to fund public educational outreach
programs of the Santa Fe Trail Association. An increase of $780,000 for the Trail
of Tears will enable the Park Service to work with the Trail of Tears Association
to develop a GIS to map the trails historical and cultural heritage sites to protect
them and to develop interpretation of them for visitors. We request an increase of
$346,000 to $866,000 for the Ala Kahakai Trail to enable the Park Service to work
with E Mau Na Ala Hele, the Ala Kahakai Trail Association, and other community
organizations to care for resources on the land and with the University of Hawaii
to conduct archaeological and cultural landscape studies along this trail.
We request an increase of $193,000 to $1,708,000 for the Appalachian Trail to expand the highly successful Trail to Every Classroom program of the Appalachian
Trail Conservancy. The $1,483,000 we request for the 4,200 mile North Country
Trail will enable the Park Service to provide greater support for the regional GIS
mapping, trail building, trail management, and training of volunteers led by the
North Country Trail Association. The $1,389,000 we request for the Ice Age Trail
includes a $535,000 increase to build partner and citizen capacity for protecting the
natural and cultural resources on the Trail and Ice Age Trail lands and to provide
NPS with a property manager for NPS-owned lands.
Construction.We request that you appropriate $380,000 for the Ice Age Trail,
$240,000 for the Appalachian Trail, and $200,000 for the Pacific Crest Trail for trail
construction projects.
Challenge Cost Share programs are one of the most effective and efficient ways
for Federal agencies to accomplish a wide array of projects for public benefit while
also sustaining partnerships involving countless private citizens in doing public
service work. We request that you robustly fund the Park Service, Bureau of Land
Management, and Fish and Wildlife Service Challenge Cost Share programs and appropriate $4.5 million in Challenge Cost Share funding to the Park Service for fiscal
year 2015 as a wise investment of public money that will generate public benefits
many times greater than its sum. We ask you to continue to direct one-third of the
$4.5 million for the national scenic and historic trails to continue the steady
progress toward making these trails fully available for public enjoyment. We suggest, as an alternative to this approach, that you create a separate National Trails
System Challenge Cost Share program with $1.5 million funding.
USDAFOREST SERVICE

We ask you to appropriate $7.896 million as a separate budgetary item specifically for the Arizona, Continental Divide, Florida, Pacific Crest, and Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trails and the Nez Perce National Historic Trail within the
over-all appropriation for Capital Improvements and Maintenance for Trails. Recognizing the on-the-ground management responsibility the Forest Service has for 1024
miles of the Appalachian Trail, more than 650 miles of the North Country Trail,
and sections of the Ice Age, Anza, Caminos Real de Tierra Adentro and de Tejas,
Lewis & Clark, California, Iditarod, Mormon Pioneer, Old Spanish, Oregon, Overmountain Victory, Pony Express, Trail of Tears and Santa Fe Trails, we ask you
to appropriate $1.2 million specifically for these trails.
The Partnerships request of $7.896 million includes $1.5 million to enable the
Forest Service and Florida Trail Association to continue trail maintenance, to control invasive species, do ecosystem restoration, and otherwise manage 4,625 acres
of new Florida Trail land. The $7.896 million request also includes $2 million for
the Pacific Crest Trail, $2 million for the Continental Divide Trail, $1 million for
the Pacific Northwest Trail, $826,000 for the Nez Perce Trail, and $570,000 for the
Arizona Trail. Some of the additional funds requested will enable the Forest Service
to develop Comprehensive Management Plans for the latter three trails. We also request $1 million of additional funding for construction of sections of the Iditarod
Trail.

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BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Although considerably more money is needed to fully administer the National

Landscape Conservation System and protect its resources, we request that you appropriate $68.809 million in base funding for the System. We ask that you appropriate as new permanent base funding $250,000 for National Trails System Program Coordination, $700,000 for the Iditarod Trail, $230,000 for El Camino Real de
Tierra Adentro Trail, $350,000 for the Old Spanish Trail, and $4,000,000 for the Bureau of Land Management to manage 4,645 miles of 13 other national scenic and
historic trails. For trail maintenance we request $300,000 for the Pacific Crest Trail
and $50,000 for the Nez Perce Trail; and request $3,140,000 to operate five historic
trails interpretive centers.
We ask you to provide $5 million for the Bureaus Challenge Cost Share (CCS)
program and to direct $500,000 for National Trails System projects as you have
done with the Park Services CCS program.
To promote greater management transparency and accountability for the National
Trails and the whole National Landscape Conservation System, we urge you to request expenditure and accomplishment reports for each of the NLCS Units for fiscal
year 2014 and to direct the Bureau to include unit-level allocations within major
sub-activities for each of the scenic and historic trails, and wild and scenic rivers
as the Bureau has done for the national monuments, wilderness, and conservation
areaswithin a new activity account for the National Landscape Conservation System in fiscal year 2015. The Bureaus lack of a unified budget account for National
Trails prevents the agency from efficiently planning, implementing, reporting, and
taking advantage of cost-saving and leveraging partnerships and volunteer contributions for every activity related to these national resources.
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND

The Partnership strongly supports the Presidents Budget proposal to fully fund
the Land and Water Conservation Fund at the authorized $900 million, with $350
million from discretionary sources and $550 million in mandatory funds for the component programs funded under LWCF. Within this amount we request that you appropriate $57,695,000 for the National Trails System Collaborative Landscape Planning proposal to acquire 53 tracts along 15 national scenic and historic trails detailed here:
Bureau of Land Management: $15,246,000 million7 tracts15,859 acres
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail (Montana).$11,704,000 for trail, landscape, habitat and recreation protection along the Upper Missouri River frontage,
including key campsites from Lewis and Clarks historic expedition and breathtaking views along Missouri River.
Nez Perce National Historic Trail (Idaho).$3,000,000 for trail and resource conservation at one of the last remaining working ranches at Henrys Lake.
Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (Oregon, California).$542,000 for trail and
resource protection within the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: $7,829,000 million14 tracts4,634 acres
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (Virginia).$2,000,000
to protect the trails historical resources in an area that would encourage public
recreation and interpretation.
Iditarod National Historic Trail (Alaska).$90,000 for protection of 120 acres
within the Innoko Wilderness Area in the Innoko National Wildlife Refuge and 1.6
miles of the Iditarod Trail.
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail (Washington).$270,000 to allow 13 listed salmon and steelhead stocks to reverse their downward population trend in the
Columbia watershed.
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail (Tennessee).$2,969,000 for seven tracts
along the Mississippi river that will protect migration corridors within the Chickasaw and Lower Hatchie National Wildlife Refuges.
California National Historic Trail (Idaho).$2,500,000 to protect the largest
breeding concentration of Sandhill Cranes as well as providing a haven for other
waterfowl from a current farming threat.
U.S. Forest Service: $15,271,000 million10 tracts7,701 acres
Appalachian National Scenic Trail (North Carolina).$3,906,500 to protect high
priority, high elevation viewshed along the Appalachian Trail that connects with

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North Carolina land purchased to the south to provide an extensive natural heritage
area.
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (Montana).$255,000 to achieve uninterrupted trail corridor enabling animal migration and human recreation.
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail (Tennessee).$585,000 to preserve one of
the few remaining segments of Trail of Tears in its original condition along the
Unicoi Turnpike.
Old Spanish National Historic Trail (New Mexico).$2,570,000 to finalize the
protection of a 5-mile-long segment of the Old Spanish Trail as it enters Carson National Forest.
Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (Washington).$2,800,000 to conserve
grizzly bear and Canadian lynx habitat while filling in a 2.5 mile gap of the Pacific
Northwest Trail along Big Sheep Creek.
Nez Perce National Historic Trail (Montana).$1,050,000 to complete the consolidation of lands on Bloody Dick and Selway Creeks in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (California, Washington).$4,104,000 for trail,
resource, and watershed protection near the headwaters of the Trinity River and
through populous King County to increase public recreation.
National Park Service Budget Request $25,002,600 million22 tracts5,349 acres
Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail (Hawaii).$3,900,000 for trail and resource
conservation in the Great Crack.
Appalachian National Scenic Trail (New Hampshire).$4,260,000 to extinguish
the threat of imminent development and to create a block of 2,000 acres of conservation land that protects an Appalachian Trail viewshed.
Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (Colorado).$308,000 to remove motorized use of 0.5 miles of the Continental Divide Trail and to restore 1 acre of habitat
currently occupied by an access road and buildings in the scenic Rocky Mountain
National Park.
Ice Age National Scenic Trail (Wisconsin).$3,700,000 to provide an urban access
point to the Ice Age Trail in the city of St. Croix, and to enhance the geologic diversity of the trail by completing a continuous 4-mile segment through Wisconsins
Driftless Area.
New England National Scenic Trail (Massachusetts).$120,000 to significantly
improve hiker safety and scenic viewshed by keeping hikers off 2.5 miles of busy
road, and to contribute to the protection of a contiguous open space corridor extending from Erving State Forest to the east and Rattlesnake Mountain and Northfield
Mountain and Mount Grace to the west.
Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail (Virginia).$6,000,000
to permanently protect and open for public education and archaeological research
a nationally significant American Indian site.
North Country National Scenic Trail (Michigan).$1,061,300 to protect a corridor
along Tyler Creek that connects existing protected land and gets four miles of the
North Country Trail off dangerous roads.
PRIVATE SECTOR SUPPORT FOR THE NATIONAL TRAILS SYSTEM

Public-spirited partnerships between private citizens and public agencies have

been a hallmark of the National Trails System since its inception. These partnerships create the enduring strength of the Trails System and the trail communities
that sustain it by combining the local, grass-roots energy and responsiveness of volunteers with the responsible continuity of public agencies. They also provide private
financial support for public projects, often resulting in a greater than equal match
of funds.
The private trail organizations commitment to the success of these trail-sustaining partnerships grows even as Congress support for the trails has grown. In
2013 the trail organizations fostered 1,144,407 hours of documented volunteer labor
valued at $25,337,171 to help sustain the national scenic and historic trails. The organizations also raised private sector contributions of $11,151,247 for the trails.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

PERFORMING ARTS ALLIANCE

Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the subcommittee, we thank you for
the opportunity to submit this testimony on behalf of the Performing Arts Alliance
(PAA). We urge the subcommittee to designate a budget of $155 million to the NEA
for fiscal year 2015. PAA member organizations include:

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Alternate ROOTS
American Composers Forum
Association of Performing Arts
Presenters
Chamber Music America
Chorus America
Dance/USA
Fractured Atlas
League of American Orchestras

National Alliance for Musical Theatre

National Association of Latino Arts and
Cultures
National Performance Network
Network of Ensemble Theaters
New Music USA
OPERA America
Theatre Communications Group

PAA is a national network of more than 33,000 organizational and individual

members comprising the professional, nonprofit performing arts and presenting
fields.
We submit this testimony to highlight the importance of the Federal investment
in the arts in order to sustain a vibrant cultural community. The National Endowment for the Arts holds a significant Federal leadership role for the arts and culture
in America. Its grants are investments in education, artistic development, the continuation and preservation of our countrys artistic heritage, and the overall quality
of life for American citizens. There are many reasons why we are asking you to support the agency:
NEA grants support a range of educational and community engagement
projects;
NEA funds spread across the country and expand arts access;
Federal funding for the arts leverages private funding; and
Rural and underserved communitiesas well as underserved populationsbenefit from arts programs supported by NEA funds.
We share with you the following examples of constituents of PAA members who
have received NEA grants in fiscal year 2014. Their work is a sample of the numerous ways in which the Endowments support widens citizen access to the cultural,
educational, social, and economic benefits of the arts in American communities.
NEA grants support a range of educational projects
American Jazz Museum in Kansas City, Missouria member of Association of
Performing Arts Presenters and Chamber Music Americareceived Art Works support for its 2014 18th and Vine Jazz Festival. The Museum partners with the Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley for this annual festival which brings jazz
music training, workshops, and performance opportunities to local middle and high
school and college student. During the festival, budding musicians hone their musical skills under the tutelage of world renowned jazz artists and learn about the history of this rich American art form from some of the history makers themselves.
Arts education also includes training in behind-the-scenes, technical aspects of the
performing arts. OPERA America member Lyric Opera of Kansas City (Missouri)
will operate its STAGES summer youth opera camp this year with support from an
Art Works grant. STAGES provides youth with significant hands-on experience in
design, lighting, and stagecraft, introducing them to the possibilities of a career in
the field. Our Nations performing arts organizations put people to work, and education programs like this offer youthtomorrows workforceopportunities to learn
the many trades within our sector.
Chorus America member Bostons Childrens Chorus received an Art Works grant
for its Premier Choir and Young Mens Ensemble, which provides rigorous, professional training for high school youth in music theory and choral performance, as
well as performance opportunities. Another Chorus America member supported by
the NEA is Young Peoples Chorus of New York City, an award-winning organization which offers music education and choral performance to children of all cultural
and economic backgrounds, helping them reach their potential through artistic excellence.
NEA grants preserve and continue our countrys artistic heritage
Performing arts organizations play a great role in preserving our Nations artistic
heritage. Other Minds in San Franciscoa member of Chamber Music America
is doing this with support from an Art Works grant for its New Music Preservation
Project. The organization is converting archival live recordings of performances,
interviews, and conversations with innovative composers and artists of 20th-century
American music into digital media. The recordings will be available worldwide via
www.radiOM.org. Fractured Atlas and Dance/USA member Lucky Plush Productions in Riverside, Illinois received Art Works support for the creation and presentation of The Queue, a new dance theater work exploring the physical comedy forms
of the early 20th-century slapstick and Vaudeville. These are just a few examples

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of how the NEAs support helps todays audiences connect to art forms and artists
of previous times.
NEA grants also invest in the artistic heritages of the many cultures within
American communities. Grants support projects that create opportunities for learning and dialogue while sustaining rich traditions. Relampago del Cielo, Inc. in Santa
Ana, Californiaa member of National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures
received Art Works support for its preservation of traditional Mexican performing
arts through youth classes in music, folklore, and dance. It shares these traditions
with the greater community via outreach presentations and educational activities.
League of American Orchestras member South Dakota Symphony in Sioux Falls received Art Works support for its Lakota Music Project, an initiative developed with
the United Sioux Tribes of South Dakota. The projects goal is to build bridges between Native Americans and non-Native Americans. It honors Native American musical traditions and aims to advance cultural understanding and create an environment of openness and collaboration through the music.
NEA funds benefit every congressional district, expanding arts access to all people
in all communitiesboth urban and rural
Chamber Music America member Community MusicWorks in Providence, Rhode
Island exists to create a cohesive urban community through music education and
performance that transforms the lives of children, families, and musicians. Art
Works funding supports their programs that reach students and families in Providences underserved South Side neighborhoods. MusicWorks creates access to classical music training and encourages appreciation for the art form among program
participants. Its weekly music lessons are accompanied by work around social justice issues, mentorship programs, and opportunities for students to create and
present music programs that are relevant to their own community.
People of all physical abilities will be able to experience inventive contemporary
dance due to NEA support given to San Francisco-based AXIS Dance Company
a member of Dance/USA. AXIS received Art Works funding to support its Dance Access and Dance Access/Kids! educational and outreach dance programs as the company tours. These programs offer physically-integrated dance classes for youth and
adults with and without disabilities, and with NEA support, AXIS will be able to
offer these classes to many around the country.
Perseverance Theatrea member of Theatre Communications Groupcreates
professional theatre by and for Alaskans, such as the world premiere of Rush at Everlasting by Alaskan playwright Arlitia Jones. Production of this play was supported
by an Art Works grant. It was also supported by the Alaska State Arts Council
a member of Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP)a recipient of an
fiscal year 2014 NEA State Partnerships grant. Approximately 40 percent of the
NEAs budget is directed towards States via State partnerships such as this one
which extend the NEAs Federal reach and impact, translating national leadership
into local benefit. Rush at Everlasting will be presented in both Juneau and Anchorage.
With a similar mission, APAP member Lied Performing Arts Center in Lincoln,
Nebraska is presenting a tour of singer/songwriter Susan Werner celebrating the
lives and challenges of rural Nebraskan farmers. In partnership with the University
of Nebraska-Lincolns Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the tour will
also include an oral history project documenting Nebraskas agricultural heritage.
The NEA supports arts organizations bringing awareness to important social issues
The arts can create community dialogue around important social issues such as
care for older Americans and gang violence. The Sojourn Theatre in Portland, Oregona member of the Network of Ensemble Theaters (NET)will present its The
Islands of Milwaukee free performance series this year with Art Works support. The
performances will occur in public spaces and explore social connectedness among
older adults throughout Milwaukee neighborhoods. The theatre company will collaborate with older adults in urban and suburban Milwaukee that are living alone,
engaging them in the creation of the performances. Project partners include the
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Department on Aging, and
Interfaith Older Adult Programs.
With the support of a Challenge America Fast-Track grant, NET member Su
Teatro in Denver, CO will present this season PLACAS by Paul S. Flores. Featuring
actor and playwright Ric Salinas, PLACAS is a new multimedia play about the impact of gangs on an El Salvadoran family, portraying tattoo removal as a metaphor
for healing and transformation. In addition to public performances, Salinas and Flores will lead workshops intended to serve former and current gang members, collaborating with Denvers Gang Rescue and Support Project (GRASP).

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NEA grants support artistic excellence and works that engage new audiences
Arts organizations around the country are energizing audiences by refreshing
classic works and presenting fresh, new productions and artists in their communities. This is bringing new and diverse participants out to experience the arts.
Trinity Repertory Company in Providence, Rhode Islanda member of the National
Association for Musical Theatre and Theatre Communications Groupis doing this
with its new production of Oliver!, Lionel Barts musical based on Charles Dickens
Oliver Twist. The company is re-visioning the show with a new adaptation of the
book and score and with a set design that extends the scenery into the audiences
space, heightening their engagement.
National Performance Network member Sandglass Theatre in Putney, Vermont is
bringing world-class, cutting-edge, socially engaged puppetry and theatre to southern Vermont audiences with Art Works support for its Arts and Issues 2014 presenting series. This series includes Voices of Community and New Visions events
and productions: Community activities present a diverse roster of artists for
residencies and community discussions on all aspects of diversity. Visions activities
cross-pollinate puppetry with other performing arts genres and invite the audience
into the artists discovery processes while purposefully creating intercultural and
intergenerational dialogue.
Opera Theatre of Saint Louisa member of OPERA Americawill present this
season 27 by American composer Ricky Ian Gordon and librettist Royce Vavrek.
Supported by an Art Works grant, 27 will feature acclaimed mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe as the visionary American writer and art collector Gertrude Stein. This
will be the companys 24th premiere in 39 seasons; last seasons premiere, Champion, was also supported by the NEA. This production was attended at 98 percent
capacity across its run and also attracted an audience that was markedly younger
and more diverse than the traditional opera-goers.
NEA funding helps organizations present exceptional work to their audiences.
Nashville Balleta member of Dance/USAreceived Art Works funding to present
Jiri Kylians Petite Mort. The Ballet had the pleasure of introducing Nashville to
Kylians work which had never before been presented in the city. The entire program, which included Balanchines Serenade and a world premiere choreographed
by Artistic Director Paul Vasterling to Ben Folds recent piano concerto, was enthusiastically received by audiences and critics alike, due also to the level of excellence
at which the dancers performed. Ticket sales reflected this enthusiasm, and also reflected that there were 600 new households attending the performances.
Federal dollars invested in the National Endowment for the Arts realize significant returns both measurable and intangible. The artistic programming of the arts
organizations supported by the NEA give vitality to their communities. They allow
communities to: appreciate our Nations culture and heritage, unite to dialogue
about and collaborate on social issues, and experience meaningful educational opportunities.
We, the members of the Performing Arts Alliance, urge you to designate no less
than $155 million to the NEA in fiscal year 2015. Thank you for your consideration
of our request.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

PRESERVATION ACTION

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, and members of the subcommittee,

on behalf of the members of Preservation Action, I appreciate the opportunity to
present written testimony in support of the Department of Interiors fiscal year 2015
$2.6 billion budget for the National Park Service (NPS) and its historic preservation
programs. As the Nation continues to rebuild our economy, historic preservation is
a partner and part of the solution in creating economic vitality. We ask Congress
to continue its investment as envisioned in the National Historic Preservation Act
of 1966 and protect our historic and cultural resources by providing the appropriations for critical historic preservation programs.
Preservation Action is a national membership organization that represents preservationists from many sectors across the U.S. and its territories. Creating a national landscape of policies that protect our cultural heritage is fundamental to all
we do. Historic preservation has provided lasting economic benefits in communities
throughout the Nation. Studies show that historic districts maintain higher property
valuesand a greater sense of community. Our mission is to make historic preservation a more widely recognized national policy. We do this through energized and engaged grassroots advocacy that connects to all levels of government.
As urban renewal swept across our country, unnecessarily destroying historic
structures, Preservation Action was at the forefront of Americas preservation move-

215
ment working to protect historic places. For 40 years, Preservation Action has advocated for historic preservation policy including two of the most important toolsthe
Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit and the Historic Preservation Fund.
Our Nations cultural resources and natural resources are important. And, as we
look to the 50th anniversary of the Historic Preservation Act and the National Park
Centennial, it is a critical time to support investments in our Nations rich heritage
so that it remains for generations to come.
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 provided the direction and tools
to protect our historic resources. The spirit and direction of the Nation are founded
upon and reflected in its historic heritage; the historical and cultural foundation of
the Nation should be preserve as a living part of our community life and development in order to give a sense of orientation to the American people . . . the preservation of the irreplaceable heritage is in the public interest so that its vital legacy
of cultural, economic, aesthetic, inspirations, economic, and energy benefits will be
maintained and enriched for future generations of Americans.
The members of Preservation Action believe in that vision provided by Congress
nearly 50 years ago. And, we encourage Congress to provide funding for historic
preservation to fully realize the importance of our natural and cultural assets and
provide the funding and leadership to realize the full vision of the Historic Preservation Act.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAMS

The Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) is the principal source of funding to implement the Nations historic preservation programs. Preservation Action supports
funding for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices in the Interior Department fiscal year 2015 budget at the following levels:
$50 million for State Historic Preservation Offices;
$15 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices;
$6 million for survey, inventory and digitization of records;
$5 million for a competitive grant program for underrepresented populations;
and
$10 million for rehabilitation of historic properties competitive grant program.
The NPS distributes HPF funding to State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs)
and Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs). States also match HPF dollars at
a 40 percent minimum.
SHPOs and THPOs administer much of the HPF program on behalf of the Department of Interior and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. SHPOs locate
and record historic resources; nominate to the National Register of Historic Places;
provide funds for preservation activities; comment on Federal rehabilitation tax
credit projects; review all Federal projects for historic preservation impact; and provide technical assistance to Federal agencies, State and local governments and the
private sector. THPOs carry out many of those functions on their tribal lands.
THPOs are key in implementing tribal and Federal preservation laws on tribal
lands, including federally-mandated archaeological clearances and evaluation and
management of tribal historic properties.
The Certified Local Government (CLG) Program is another way the NPS and
SHPOs support preservation in communities. Local, State, and Federal governments
work together in the Federal Preservation Program to help communities save their
irreplaceable historic character. SHPOs award at least 10 percent of their HPF allocation to CLGs. The grants fund a variety of projects including: surveys, National
Register nominations, rehabilitation work, design guidelines, educational programs,
training, structural assessments, and feasibility studies. CLGs receive technical assistance and training through the partnership.
PRESERVATION IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit (HTC), administered by SHPOs and the
NPS, is the most significant Federal investment in historic preservation. Since its
creation more than 30 years ago, the HTC has been a catalyst for development with
the rehabilitation of nearly 39,000 buildings throughout the Nation. And, the HTC
has created 2.4 million jobs and leveraged nearly $109 billion in private investment.
From the Mill No. 1 project in Baltimore, Maryland, Elm Terrace in Portland,
Maine, to the Boyle Hotel redevelopment in east Los Angeles, historic preservation
is helping communities rebound and recapture their economic vitality as well as provide creative uses for old buildings and stimulate job growth.
Because of the success of the program, Preservation Action and its national members urge Congress to realize the benefits of this program to economic development
and to ensure its continuance.

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PRESERVING AMERICAS RICH AND DIVERSE CULTURAL HERITAGE

In addition to our support for SHPO and THPO operating funding, Preservation
Action fully endorses the Interior Departments program for competitive grants for
the survey, outreach and pre-nomination activities of properties in underrepresented
communities to the National Register of Historic Places and the National Historic
Landmarks Program. It is important for our historic record to reflect the full spectrum of Americas heritageand this program would correct the underrepresentation. Studies report that fewer than 5 percent of listings in the National Register
of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks identify culturally diverse properties. While the current funding level of $500,000 is a step in addressing this
underrepresentation, it does not go far enough to tell the rich story of Americas diverse heritage. Therefore, we ask the subcommittee to consider increasing the
amount to $5 million.
We also support an additional $10 million to the HPF for a competitive grant program to support State and local level rehabilitation projects. Rehabilitation of historic structures has proven a success in driving neighborhood pride and redevelopment.
DIGITIZATION OF AMERICAS HERITAGE

Preservation Action believes that providing the public with access to accurate information on our historic resources is important to maintaining the record of Americas heritage. Having easy access to digital records will help expedite Federal permitting, project review, and improve accessibility. Therefore, Preservation Action
also supports the administrations request for $6 million for legacy data digitization.
NATIONAL HERITAGE AREAS

The National Heritage Areas (NHAs) are community driven heritage conservation
placeswhere natural, cultural and historic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important stories of Americas diverse heritage. Currently, there are 49 National Heritage Areas designated by Congress. The Federal support for NHAs has
been instrumental in spurring the grassroots efforts that reflect the unique resources, significance and values of each community. On average, for every dollar of
Federal investment, NHAs bring $5.50 in public and private investment.
NHA programs have demonstrated their ability to both support economic benefits
in their communities through tourism dollars and tell underrepresented stories
across the Nation. Preservation Action is concerned that the reduction of Federal
funding proposed in the fiscal year 2015 budget for the heritage areas program impairs the sustainability of the program. Funding of $18 millionthe amount appropriated in fiscal year 2014is the minimum needed to continue the cost effective
impacts of the NHA program.
CONCLUSION

Preservation Action has been a proud partner with a cross-section of Federal

agencies and the NPS in protecting Americas cultural and natural resources and
in engaging the public in maintaining these valuable assets. We value the work of
the employees across the NPS who protect our cultural and natural resources, engage communities, businesses and governments in heritage sites, education, and
tourism, and the many offices that work in collaboration of historic preservation efforts and communications. Importantly, as we review Federal historic preservation
policies and their impacts in communities, we value the partnership of the Advisory
Council on Historic Preservation as well as the instrumental work SHPOs and
THPOs conduct in preserving Americas cultural heritage.
Thank you for including the voices of the preservation community as you consider
the Department of Interiors fiscal year 2015 budget.
Thank you.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY

OF

NEW MEXICO (PNM)

APRIL 4, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper

217
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
CHRIS OLSON,
Vice President, PNM Generation.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

RESTORE AMERICAS ESTUARIES

Restore Americas Estuaries (RAE) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that

has been working since 1995 to restore our Nations greatest estuaries. Our mission
is to restore and protect estuaries as essential resources for the Nation. Restore
Americas Estuaries is a national alliance of community-based coastal conservation
organizations across the Nation that protect and restore coastal and estuarine habitat. Our member organizations include: American Littoral Society, Chesapeake Bay
Foundation, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Save the Sounda program of
the Connecticut Fund for the Environment, Conservation Law Foundation, Galveston Bay Foundation, North Carolina Coastal Federation, EarthCorps, Save The
BaySan Francisco, Save the BayNarragansett Bay, and Tampa Bay Watch. Collectively, we have over 250,000 members nationwide.
As you craft your fiscal year 2015 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies appropriations bill, Restore Americas Estuaries encourages you to provide the funding
levels below within the Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for core programs which greatly support coastal community economies:
$15 million for USFWS Coastal Program.Interior: USFWS: Resource Management: Habitat Conservation: Coastal Program
$27.2 million for USEPA National Estuary Program.USEPA: Water: Ecosystems: National Estuary Program/Coastal Waterways
These non-regulatory investments strengthen and revitalize Americas coastal
communities by improving habitat and local water quality. Healthy coastlines protect communities from flood damage and extreme weather, improve commercial fisheries, protect vital infrastructure, and support tourism and recreational opportunities.
USFWS COASTAL PROGRAM

The Coastal Program (CP) is a voluntary, incentive-based program that provides

technical and financial assistance to coastal communities and landowners to protect
and restore fish and wildlife habitat on public and private lands in 24 priority coastal ecosystems, including the Great Lakes. The Coastal Program works with other
Federal, State, local, and non-governmental partners and private landowners to deliver strategic habitat protection and restoration for the benefit of Federal trust species, including threatened and endangered species, migratory birds, inter-jurisdictional fish, certain marine mammals, and species of international concern.

218
Since 1985, the Coastal Program has:
Partnered with more than 5,000 Federal, tribal, State and local agencies, nongovernmental organizations, corporations, and private landowners.
Restored 300,616 acres of wetland; 135,033 acres of upland; and 2,160 miles of
stream habitat.
Protected more than 2 million acres of coastal habitat.
Provided technical assistance to a diverse range of conservation partners.
Support for the management and stewardship of our coastal ecosystems that
bridge land and sea has never been more important due to the accelerating pace
of environmental change now occurring. While environmental degradation of estuaries has continued in recent years, the Coastal Program has been a key program
aimed at on-the-ground habitat restoration. Despite the programs relatively small
cost, it is having a huge impact on-the-ground. A recent estimate by USFWS Coastal
Program staff shows that the program leverages $8 non-Federal dollars for every
Federal dollar spent. This makes the Coastal Program one of the most cost-effective
habitat restoration programs within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Restore Americas Estuaries has enjoyed a collaborative relationship with the
Coastal Program for many years. The nature and scope of our partnership spans
the national and local levels as we work with CP headquarters on long-term issues,
and locally the program works with our member groups through regional CP staff
to conduct on-the-ground habitat restoration.
As an example of a true partnership, the Coastal Program worked with RAE
member Save The BaySan Francisco as well as the San Francisco Bay National
Wildlife Refuge to restore salt marsh on Bair Island. This project is helping to provide critical habitat for a variety of species, including the endangered California
clapper rail and the salt marsh harvest mouse, and a number of birds that traverse
the area on their journey across the Pacific.
On the East Coast, the Coastal Program assisted RAE member Chesapeake Bay
Foundation to choose and prepare a site to plant redhead grass near the Magothy
River in Maryland. This is a good example of the invaluable technical assistance
that the Coastal Program is able to provide to a non-governmental organization,
which can then better restore habitat for numerous migratory bird and inter-jurisdictional fish species.
In the Gulf, the Coastal Program worked side-by-side with RAE member Galveston Bay Foundation to construct geotextile tube offshore breakwaters on Snake
Island Cove. This effort has led to the protection of 200 acres of estuarine marsh
from erosion and the creation of a 65-acre calm shallow water area conducive to
seagrass restoration.
The Coastal Program is also essential in efforts to restore fish passage of anadromous fish populations and restore riverine habitat. RAE member Conservation
Law Foundation worked with the Coastal Program and other regional partners to
support the removal of dams along the Penobscot River, as well as install fishways
to restore native Atlantic salmon.
Restore Americas Estuaries urges your continued support and funding for the
USFWS Coastal Program. This program delivers habitat protection and restoration
in priority coastal areas on both public and private lands through partnerships with
other Service programs, Federal agencies, State and local agencies, tribal governments and native corporations, non-governmental organizations, universities, corporations, and private landowners.
The Coastal Program stimulates local economies by supporting jobs necessary to
deliver habitat conservation projects including environmental consultants, engineers, construction workers, surveyors, assessors, and nursery and landscape workers. These jobs also generate indirect economic activities that benefit local hotels,
restaurants, stores, and gas stations. The Program estimates that the average
project supports 60 jobs and stimulates 40 businessesthis represents major local
economic returns on the Federal investment.
Restore Americas Estuaries urges your continued support of the Coastal Program
and asks that you provide $15 million for fiscal year 2015.
USEPA NATIONAL ESTUARY PROGRAM

The National Estuary Program (NEP) is a non-regulatory network of voluntary

community-based programs that safeguards the health of important coastal ecosystems across the country. The program utilizes a consensus building process to
identify goals, objectives, and actions that reflect local environmental and economic
priorities.
Currently there are 28 estuaries located along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific
coasts and in Puerto Rico that have been designated as estuaries of national signifi-

219
cance. Each NEP focuses its work within a particular place or boundary, called a
study area, which includes the estuary and surrounding watershed.
Each National Estuary Program demonstrates real environmental results through
on-the-ground habitat restoration and protection. Their efforts reflect local environmental and economic priorities and involve the community as equal partners
throughout the decisionmaking process. Collectively, NEPs have restored and protected more than 1.5 million acres of land since 2000.
Restore Americas Estuaries urges your continued support of the National Estuary
Program and ask that you provide $27.2 million for USEPA National Estuary Program/Coastal Waterways. Within this amount for fiscal year 2015, no less than
$600,000 should be directed to each of the 28 NEPs in the field.
CONCLUSION

Restore Americas Estuaries greatly appreciates the support this subcommittee

has provided in the past for these important programs. These programs help to accomplish on-the-ground restoration work which results in major benefits:
Economic Growth and Jobs.Coastal habitat restoration creates between 17
and 33 direct jobs for each million dollars invested depending on the type of restoration. That is more than twice as many jobs as the oil and gas sector and
road construction industries combined. The restored area supports increased
tourism and valuable ecosystem services.
Huge Leverage.From 2005 to 2012, Federal investment in the USFWS Coastal
Program leveraged non-Federal dollars at a ratio of 8 to 1. The NEPs leveraged
non-Federal dollars at a ratio of 15 to 1. In a time of shrinking resources, these
are rates of return we cannot afford to ignore.
Resiliency.Restoring coastal wetlands can help knock down storm waves and
reduce devastating storm surges before they reach the people and property
along the shore.
Thank you and we greatly appreciate you taking our requests into consideration
as you move forward in the fiscal year 2015 appropriations process. We stand ready
to work with you and your staff to ensure the health of our Nations estuaries and
coasts.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

SAC

AND

FOX NATION

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity
to provide written testimony on the fiscal year 2015 Interior, Environment and Related agencies appropriations. Congratulations to Chairman Calvert as the new
Chairman and to Congressman David Valadao, the newest member on this subcommittee. I am George L. Thurman, Principal Chief of the Great Sac and Fox Nation, home of Jim Thorpe, one of the most versatile athletes of modern sports who
earned Olympic gold medals for the 1912 pentathlon and decathlon. On behalf of
the Sac and Fox Nation thank you for the opportunity to present our requests for
the fiscal year 2015 budgets for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Indian
Health Service (IHS).
A fundamental goal for Indian Country governmental services is parity with similarly situated governments or services. Although tribes have made some progress in
addressing terribly inadequate public services that many Americans routinely take
for granted, they are still experiencing what the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
called A Quiet Crisis of unmet Federal funding needs. Full funding of Contract
Supports Costs (CSC) is a step in the right direction for tribes to be paid the costs
of performing services under contract with the Federal Government enjoyed by nontribal Federal contractors. It is not fair that the Federal Governments legal obligation to pay CSC requires reducing tribal funds to meet the Federal trust obligation
to tribal nations.
In fiscal year 2013 tribal programs incurred cuts totaling over $500 million under
the sequestration. We were not able to recover the sequestered funding under the
Murray/Ryan budget deal and the BIA and IHS Spending Plans further disappointed our expectations for budget equity during these fiscally strained times.
We strongly urge Congress to fully restore sequestration cuts from fiscal year 2013
and exempt tribal funds from future sequestration. It threatens the trust responsibility and reduces portions of the budget that are not major contributors to the deficit.

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I. TRIBAL SPECIFIC REQUEST

$4.95 Million to Fully Fund Operations of the Sac and Fox Nation Juvenile Detention Center (SFNJDC)Bureau of Indian AffairsPublic Safety and JusticeOffice
of Justice ServicesDetention/Corrections Account.
II. NATIONAL REQUESTSBUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

1. Public Safety and JusticeLaw and OrderDetention/Corrections:

a. Increase the 2015 Request ($192.9 million) by $4.95 million for Detention/
Corrections to fund the SFNJDC.
b. Fully fund all provisions of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010.
2. Restore 2013 Sequestered Cuts ($119 million) to Tribal Program Funding.
3. $19.3 million over fiscal year 2014 for Tribal Priority Allocations Account.
4. $4 million over fiscal year 2015 request to fully fund Contract Support Costs
(CSC).
5. $500,000 for Johnson OMalley education assistance grants to support a new
student count in 2015 and provides funding for the projected increase in the
number of students eligible for grants.
6. Office of Self-Governance (OSG)Provide increased funding to the OSG to
fully staff the office for the increase in the number of tribes entering Self-Governance.
III. NATIONAL REQUESTSINDIAN HEALTH SERVICE

1. Restore 2013 Sequestered Cuts ($220 Million) to Tribal Health Services.

2. Support IHS Mandatory Funding (maintain current services).
3. $30 million over fiscal year 2015 request to fully fund Contract Support
Costs (CSC).
4. $50 million over 2015 request for Purchased and Referred Care.
5. Restore $6 million to the Office of Tribal Self-Governance (OTSG) to fulfill
legal requirements under title V of Public Law 106260 which increased the
responsibilities of OTSG.
THE SAC AND FOX NATION JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER (SFNJDC)BUREAU OF INDIAN
AFFAIRSPUBLIC SAFETY AND JUSTICEOFFICE OF JUSTICE SERVICESDETENTION/
CORRECTIONS ACCOUNT

In 1996, the Sac and Fox Nation Juvenile Detention Center (SFNJDC) opened its
doors as the first regional juvenile facility specifically designed for American Indians/Alaska Natives, as well as the first juvenile facility developed under Public Law
100472, the Self-Governance Demonstration Project Act.
At that time, the Bureau of Indian Affairs made a commitment to fully fund the
SFNJDC operations; however this commitment was never fulfilled. Even though the
Nation continues to receive and use Federal dollars to address the issue of juvenile
delinquency and detention for tribes in the Southern Plains Region and Eastern
Oklahoma Region, it has never received sufficient funds to operate the facility at
its fullest potential. Full funding to the facility by the Bureau would relieve financial burdens on area tribes to pay for detention services elsewhere and keep tribal
youths close to home.
Full funding would allow the Nation to provide full operations including (but not
limited to):
Juvenile detention services to the 46 tribes in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas;
Rescue more of our at-risk youth and unserved youth in need of a facility like
the SFNJDC;
Re-establish programs we have lost due to inadequate funding such as: On-site
Mental Health Counseling; Transitional Living, Vocational Training, Horticulture, Life Skills, Arts and Crafts, Cultural Education and Activities, Spiritual Growth and Learning;
Offer job opportunities in an area that is economically depressed; and
Fully staff and expand staff training to address high volume of staff turnover
which will allow for continuity in operations and service delivery.
Most recently at the fiscal year 2016 Regional Budget Formulation Session, these
tribes continue to support and endorse full funding for operation of the SFNJDC
and included it as a priority in their Top 10 Budget Increases for the fiscal year
2016 BIA budget.
The current funding level represents only approximately 10 percent of what is
needed to fully fund the Juvenile Detention Center. Additional funding in the
amount of $4,950,000, over what Sac and Fox already receives in base funding
($508,000), would fully fund the facility at a level to address the need of juvenile

221
delinquency in the tri-State area and create opportunities for employment for more
tribal members.
The SFNJDC is a 50,000 square foot, full service, 24 hour, 60 bed (expandable
to 120 beds) juvenile detention facility that provides basic detention services to all
residents utilizing a classification system based on behavioral needs to include special management, medium and minimal security. Our facility was designed to provide programs including behavioral management, alcohol and substance abuse, spiritual and cultural growth and learning, self-esteem, arts and crafts, health and fitness, horticulture, nutrition, life skills, vocational technical training, counseling,
educational programs and a Transitional Living Center.
Through a partnership with the local high school, students are afforded an education at the public school level, including a graduation ceremony and issuance of
a certificate upon successfully achieving the State requirements. Additionally, the
Sac and Fox Nation has an on-site justice center providing law enforcement and
tribal court services and the Nation also operates an on-site health clinic which provides outstanding medical services that include contract service capabilities for optometry, dental and other health-related services.
The lack of adequate funding from the BIA and decreases in base funding have
mushroomed into underutilization and erosion of the programs our facility was built
to offer. Our current funding levels only allow us to provide an alcohol and substance abuse program, some health and fitness activities and a basic education program. We have lost our programs for vocational training, horticulture, life skills,
arts and crafts, on-site counseling and transitional living. The passage of the 2010
Tribal Law and Order Act was applauded by the Sac and Fox Nation because we
saw this as an opportunity for the Federal Government to finally step up to its
pledge to fully-fund the SFNJDC and honor its treaty and trust obligations to our
people. However, the lack of funding is also impeding the implementation of TLOA!
In 1996, the SFNJDC was built as a model facility in Indian Country. And nearly
20 years later there is still a need for such a facility to help our youth return to
their traditional healing and spiritual ways. As a Self-Governance Tribe we operate
our tribal government on the premise that we are the best provider of the services
and know which services are most needed in our communities. We saw the increasing need in the 1990s for a facility like the SFNJDC and we acted on our instincts
to help our youth by giving them a place to turn their lives around and the access
to programs, services and holistic care they needed to recover and heal. Sadly, the
number of Native American youth, and juveniles overall requiring detention has not
decreased. The Sac and Fox Nation Juvenile Detention Center was built with the
same ideals that the Tribal Law and Order Act Long Term Plan to Build and Enhance Tribal Justice Systems espouses today. The SFNJDC has the facility, staffing,
ability, commitment and capacity to provide superior detention and rehabilitation
services to Native American youth, as well as any youth in the tri-State area in
need of our services. We do not understand the Federal Governments desire to fund
the construction of more detention facilities while our beds remain empty.
With access to full funding for operations, the SFNJDC will have the stability to
fulfill the mission the tribal leaders envisioned to help our youth once again find
their way and recover from the ills that resulted in them coming to the Facility.
With adequate funding we believe it is possible to thrive and benefit the lives of
juveniles who enter our Center and are desperately in need of our help to develop
and assist them to have a more healthy and productive future.
Thank you for allowing me to submit these requests on the fiscal year 2015 budgets.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

SAN JUAN WATER COMMISSION

APRIL 1, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restora-

222
tion Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
L. RANDY KIRKPATRICK,
Executive Director.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

SEATTLE INDIAN HEALTH BOARD

Mr. Chairman and members of the Senate Interior, Environment, and Related
Agencies Appropriation Subcommittee, my name is Ralph Forquera. I am the Executive Director for the Seattle Indian Health Board in Seattle, Washington. I also direct our Urban Indian Health Institute. I am an enrolled member of the Juaneno
Band of California Mission Indians, a State-recognized Indian tribe. My tribe was
one of 43 tribes and bands of California Indians terminated in 1958 through the
California Rancheria Termination Act (Public Law 85671).
The Indian Health Service has requested an inflationary increase for urban Indian health of $646,000. This figure represents a 1.58 percent increase over the fiscal year 2014 enacted appropriation, far below medical inflation in the Nation. I ask
the subcommittee to consider an increase of at least $5 million to address the growing urban Indian population needs.
Urban American Indians now represent more than 7 out of 10 Americans selfidentifying as having heritage in an American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, according to the 2010 United States Census. The permanent reauthorization of the 1976
Indian Health Care Improvement Act in the Affordable Care Act, claims, in its declaration of policy, an obligation to aid urban Indians. Subtitle IV of the Act (Previously title V) spells out a discrete authority to assist local, non-profit, Indian-governed organizations in enhancing access and assuring health improvements to meet
the national goal of health parity for Indian people.
The movement of Indian people to American cities has been steady since first documented with the 1970 census. Analysis using the American Community Survey for
the period 20062009 finds that more than 1 in 4 urban Indians have incomes at
or below 200 percent of the Federal poverty level. This description likely undercounts the number of urban Indians in poverty, since the collection method for this
national survey does not reach a sizeable portion of the urban Indian population,
particularly those living in unstable households that are a common problem among
poorer urban Indians. There is currently no specific assessment of urban American
Indians and Alaska Natives. Our understanding is derived from Federal and State
regularly scheduled data collection strategies and agency reporting standards that
often do not specify Indian identity in their collection processes to document conditions and outcomes among the general population.
The Indian Health Service itself has not focused attention on a reporting mechanism explicit for addressing urban specific health concerns. Instead, the IHS has
tried to include our work in their tribally-based reporting standards that, in my
view, misrepresent the health disparities among urban Indians. This lack of information that could paint a more accurate portrayal of the health and social conditions that influence the health status of urban Indians leads to inappropriate and
misguided policies that disrupt our ability to effectively serve our communities.
But regardless of the limitations of the data sources, evidence grows that health
disparities are extensive for urban Indians and that factors that contribute to poor

223
health generally affect urban Indians across the Nation. For example, evidence of
low academic achievement, high unemployment, high rates of mobility among the
population, and a general over-representation in social metrics known to contribute
to poor health are consistently found upon analysis. The fact that this evidence can
be identified in work not explicit to urban Indians reinforces the fact that these social factors are crucial in perpetuating health disparities among urban Indians.
In the past several years, a growing awareness of how social factors influence
health has drawn attention from policy makers, elected officials, and the general
public. Key factors like low educational attainment and substandard or inadequate
housing, particularly in cities indicate that urban Indians are often listed as living
with conditions that adversely influence health. This reality places urban Indians
at greater risk for health problems and early and unnecessary death and disability.
The Affordable Care Act calls for data to identify and track changes in the health
status of groups like urban Indians. But to collect and analyze this information,
funding is needed to build the infrastructure and support the personnel needed to
gather data and perform the necessary analysis. Our Institute has discussed building this capacity with Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) and other
Federal agencies but funding has not been forthcoming. Therefore, as noted, we do
our best to find ways to use national and State data collection strategies and apply
scientifically-sound methodologies to understand health conditions for urban Indians. While these methods are limiting, the preponderance of findings reinforce the
disparities we see daily at my organization.
The question is frequently asked whether Indians living in cities retain eligibility
for Indian health benefits. Legal analysis shows that Indians leaving reservations
do not lose the right to the benefits and protections granted Indians by the Congress, but that the extent of these Indian-specific programs and services is subject
to the level of funding devoted to them by the Congress. Over the decades, in spite
of the dramatic shift in the Indian and Native populations living arrangements, resources to help urban Indians have fallen farther and farther behind.
There are some who have argued that only enrolled members of federally-recognized Indian tribes and those living on Indian reservations are eligible for Federal
assistance. Currently, this policy is being applied to the Affordable Care Act as it
affects the marketplace aspect of reform. This claim misinterprets the nature of the
Indian trust relationship.
Back in 2005, I prepared a paper I would be happy to share with the subcommittee illustrating the historical and legislative history of aid for urban Indians
in response to a question from the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. This response became the foundation for the Congress to increase urban Indian health
funding by $7 million in 2008. However, other problems subsequent have since disrupted this appreciation for the need for greater financial aid for urban Indians and
the current funding allocated for urban Indian health now represents only 0.92 percent of the overall Indian Health Service budget.
When the line item for urban Indian health was first established in 1979, about
1.48 percent of that years IHS appropriation was directed for urban Indians. Over
the decades, the percentage devoted for urban Indians has fluctuated around the 1
percent threshold until 2009, when the allocation dropped below 1 percent.
A further review of the IHS budget process finds that the agency has seldom requested additional funds for urban Indians. At best, the agency has sought inflationary increases that are generally far less than healthcare inflation has run over
the decades including for fiscal year 2015. As each year passes, the inability to meet
just the inflationary challenges has forced reductions in services. Since the agency
responsible for advocating for the health of Indian people fails to request funding
to aid urban Indians, it should not be a surprise that the agency is not actively
seeking solutions and support for our work.
As an example, the recent reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act requires that the IHS create a conferring policy similar to the tribal consultation policy to assure that the guidance of the urban contractors is given when
considering policy or programmatic change. It is now more than 4 years after the
law was enacted and a conferring policy has not been approved, leaving those of us
who operate Urban Indian Health Organizations without a formal means of communicating our ideas or sharing our concerns with the Indian Health Service. In larger
tribal consultation sessions, we are mostly overshadowed by the tribal leadership
present. Essentially, the voices of the majority of Indian people are not reflected in
Indian policy today.
It should also be noted that the urban Indian health program defined in subtitle
IV of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act is a discrete authority intended to
improve access to healthcare for Indians living in cities. This role was expanded in
1987 as increased evidence arose that the acceptability of healthcare service was

224
critically important to many urban Indians that carry the ill effects of past failed
Federal actions toward Indians as a core belief. Given the continuing lack of attention toward urban Indians, this reality is still an important characteristic of the
work we do on their behalf.
Few today remember the forced sterilization of Indian women during the 1970s
or the sense of abandonment that accompanied the termination of tribes in the
1950s. Many today experience denial of help from IHS and tribal facilities that only
treat members of federally recognized tribes. Others feel thwarted by the Bureau
of Indian Affairs that does not recognize displaced Indians. My tribe, for example,
has had its petition for re-acknowledgment rejected on several occasions by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, leaving members without benefits and protections granted
those that have been restored to Federal recognition in the past several decades.
These continuing actions reflect the reality that urban Indians are not seen as
equals to those who were fortunate not to experience termination or who continue
to reside on reservation lands. This treatment helps to foster the sense of secondclass citizenry for urban Indians within Indian Country. Some tribes under self-governance compacts have recognized the discriminatory nature of these actions and,
when financially feasible, offer some help.
It should also be noted that the lack of attention to the health and welfare of
urban Indians is best illustrated by both the lack of funding, but also a lack of recognition and understanding of this portion of Indian Country. Little effort has been
made by the Indian Health Service or others to describe the health status of urban
Indians or to find ways to aid those urban communities with sizable Indian populations but lacking an urban Indian health organization. In fact, there are fewer
urban Indian health organizations today than there were in the mid-1980s.
When the Indian Health Care Improvement Act was passed in 1976, the House
Report accompanying the passage of the bill made the bold claim that The most
basic human rights must be the right to enjoy decent health. Certainly, any effort
to fulfill Federal responsibilities to the Indian people must begin with the provision
of health services. In fact, health services must be the cornerstone upon which rest
all other Federal programs for the benefit of Indians. Without a proper health status, the Indian people will be unable to fully avail themselves of the many economic,
educational, and social programs already directed to them or which this Congress
and future Congresses will provide them. H.R. Report No. 941026, pt. I at 13
(1976) as reprinted in 1976 U.S.C.C.A.N. 2652, 2653. It is clear that this proclamation has not been fulfilled for urban Indians.
The inequity in funding for urban Indian health is an artifact of history. The reality of funding inadequacy reinforces the administrative policy of limiting both the
work and the scarce resources to the more limited aspect of Indian Countrymembers of federally recognized tribes and those living on or near Indian reservations.
However, Congress has the authority to allocate additional funds to assist urban Indians if they so choose.
As mentioned earlier, another hat I wear is as the Director for the Urban Indian
Health Institute. I founded the Institute in July of 2000 to find ways to document
and study health disparities among urban Indians to help build a case for needed
resources. In 2004, the Institute published the first large scale national report, illustrating the severity of health problems faced by urban Indians. These findings were
reinforced when an independent Urban Indian Health Commission funded by the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, made similar claims in its 2007 report. (find reports at www.uihi.org). Additional reports and studies including several published
in peer-reviewed professional journals verify the disparity in health experienced by
urban Indians, but these findings have not successfully translated to the provision
of the essential resources needed.
We recognize and respect the fact that Indians living on reservations who are enrolled in a federally-recognized Indian tribe have needs deserving of congressional
support. But just caring for reservation Indians is insufficient in addressing the
broad trust obligation that the Nation bears towards its indigenous citizens, especially since more than 7 out of 10 Indian and Native people now live in cities.
After spending more than three decades working to improve the health of urban
Indians, I recognize that we face daunting challenges. Expectations that the Affordable Care Act will improve conditions for urban Indians fail to take into account the
historic maltreatment and broken promises experienced by Indian people that large
scale programs like the ACA will not correct. In this regard, it is my hope that this
subcommittee will recognize and renew its commitment to assure that all Indian
people, regardless of their place of residence or their standing as being federallyrecognized, achieve the Houses proclamation of the importance of good health in Indian affairs.
Thank you.

225
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

SHOALWATER BAY TRIBE

SUMMARY

The Shoalwater Bay Tribe is located on Willapa Bay in southwestern Washington.

Our tribe was formed in 1866 incorporating members of Lower Chehalis, Shoalwater
Bay and Chinookan people. As a small but strong tribe, we strive to keep our language, culture and economic health active and viable. While very connected to our
past, Shoalwater Bay tribal members work to expand our influence and increase
awareness of our tribal culture while improving our health and way of life. We request that the subcommittee provide the following items in the fiscal year 2015 appropriations cycle.
Make full Contract Support Costs funding mandatory spending.
Reauthorize the Special Diabetes Program for Indians.
Fund the IHS budget with advanced appropriations.
MANDATORY FUNDING FOR CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS

We are pleased that the administration has sought to fully fund contract support
costs (CSC) under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
(ISDEAA) in fiscal year 2015, and we urge Congress to support that goal. We also
acknowledge that the administrations request is a direct response to Congress actions with regard to fiscal year 2014 appropriations, which removed historical caps
on CSC funding and rejected the administrations proposalput forward without
consultation and vehemently opposed by tribesto individually cap contract support
cost recovery at the contractor level. Contract support costs fund vital administrative functions that allow us to operate programs that provide critical services to our
members. If contract support costs are not fully funded, however, our programs and
services are directly impacted because we are forced to divert limited program funding to cover fixed overhead expenses instead. We therefore appreciate Congress support in fiscal year 2014 and hope that it carries through to fiscal year 2015 and beyond.
However, the CSC funding problem is not yet solved. Full funding for CSC must
not come with a penaltynamely, a reduction in program funding or effective permanent sequestration of Indian program funds. That result would have the same
devastating effect on our service delivery as the failure to fully fund CSC. Yet Congress, in the Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the fiscal year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act, noted that since [contract support costs] fall under
discretionary spending, they have the potential to impact all other programs funded
under the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, including other equally important tribal programs. Moreover, without any permanent measure to ensure full
funding, payment of CSC remains subject to agency discretion from year to year,
even though tribes are legally entitled to payment under the ISDEAA. Noting these
ongoing conflicts of law, Congress directed the agencies to consult with tribes on a
permanent solution.
In our view, there is a logical permanent solution which Congress is empowered
to implement: CSC should be appropriated as a mandatory entitlement. The Congressional Budget Office defines Entitlement as A legal obligation of the Federal
Government to make payments to a person, group of people, business, unit of government, or similar entity that meets the eligibility criteria set in law and for which
the budget authority is not provided in advance in an appropriation act. Further,
Spending for entitlement programs is controlled through those programs eligibility
criteria and benefit or payment rules. 1 CSC meets every part of this definition except that the budget authority is currently provided and controlled through appropriation actsas if CSC were a discretionary program. Under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, the full payment of CSC is not discretionary, but is a legal obligation of the United States. Indeed, the underlying purpose of the ISDEAAto end Federal domination of Indian programs and allow for
meaningful control by Indian tribes over their own destinies in the face of Federal
bureaucratic resistancewill always be threatened so long as the mechanisms that
allow the statute to function are considered discretionary.
From an appropriations standpoint, the fiscal year 2014 Joint Explanatory Statement recognized that the current fundamental mismatch between the mandatory
nature of CSC and the current appropriation approach leaves both the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations in the untenable position of appropriating
discretionary funds for the payment of any legally obligated contract support costs.
1 Congressional Budget Office Glossary, available at http://www.cbo.gov/publication/42904 (updated January 2012).

226
As the Joint Explanatory Statement also noted, Typically obligations of this nature
are addressed through mandatory spending. The obvious solution then is to bring
the appropriations process in line with the statutory requirements and to recognize
CSC for what it is: a mandatory entitlement, not a discretionary program. We therefore strongly urge the Congress to move to appropriate funding for CSC on a mandatory basis.
REAUTHORIZE THE SPECIAL DIABETES PROGRAM

While the entitlement funding for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians
(SDPI) is not part of the IHS appropriations process, those funds are administered
through the IHS. With the recent enactment (Public Law 11393) of a 1 year extension of the SDPI as part of the Medicare doc fix bill, it is funded through fiscal
year 2015 at $150 million, minus a 2 percent reduction ($3 million) due to the sequestration of non-exempt mandatory programs (Public Law 112240). This funding
level has not increased since 2004. The SDPI has proven highly effective in Indian
Country, and has produced excellent results. For example, in the 4 years preceding
the last report on the SDPI in 2011, the average blood sugar level dropped nearly
a percentage point overall, corresponding to a 40 percent decline in the risk of eye,
kidney, and nerve complications due to diabetes. We ask that you support ongoing
efforts to reauthorize this program for a 5-year period at increased funding levels.
FUND THE IHS THROUGH ADVANCED APPROPRIATIONS

An important goal for Shoalwater Bayand for all of Indian Countryis the reliable, advance appropriation of the IHS budget 1 year in advance. The goal is for
the IHS and tribal healthcare providers to have adequate advance notice of the
amount of Federal appropriations to expect and thus not be subjected to the uncertainties of late funding and short-term Continuing Resolutions. Under advance appropriations funding is provided in the initial year for 2 years and thereafter for
1 year, but it is a year in advance. Because the funding does not count against the
subcommittees funding cap or the Budget Resolution score until the year in which
it is to be obligated, that initial second year of funding does not have a negative
effect on the subcommittee or Budget Resolution. Congress provides advance appropriations for the Veterans Administration medical accounts, and the request is for
parity in the appropriations schedule for the IHS. Bilsl that would authorize IHS
advance appropriations have been introducedH.R. 3229 by Representative Don
Young and S. 1570 by Senators Murkowski and Begich. We request that you support the effort to authorize and to appropriate funding for Indian Health Service advance appropriations.
Thank you for your consideration of our concerns and requests. We are happy to
respond to questions or provide any additional information you may request.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

SOCIETY

FOR

HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY (SHA)

Request:
$46.925 million for State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs).
$8.985 million for the Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs).
$500,000 for grants for survey and National Register/National Landmark nominations for underrepresented populations.
These programs are funded through withdrawals from the U.S. Department of the
Interiors National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) (16 U.S.C.
470h).
ABOUT SHA AND ITS MEMBERS

SHA is the largest organization in the world dedicated to the archaeological study
of the modern world and the third largest anthropological organization in the
United States. It promotes scholarly research and knowledge concerning historical
archaeology, and is specifically concerned with the identification, excavation, interpretation, and conservation of sites and materials on land and underwater. SHA
and its more than 2,300 members strongly support the protection of cultural and
historical resources and sites around the Nation.
FUNDING SHPOS AND THPOS IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO PROTECTING U.S.
ARCHAEOLOGY

In 1966, Congress, recognizing the importance of our heritage, enacted the National Historic Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470, et seq.) (NHPA), which established
historic preservation as a Federal Government priority. Historic preservation recog-

227
nizes that what was common and ordinary in the past is often rare and precious
today, and what is common and ordinary today may be extraordinary in the future.
Instead of using Federal employees to carry out the Act, the Department of Interior and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation opted to partner with the
States and use SHPOs and THPOs to, among other tasks, review all Federal
projects for their impact on historic properties. In order for the review process to
work smoothly and for historical archaeological sites to be protected, SHPOs and
THPOs must have adequate funding. Proper financial support for their work allows
SHPOs and THPOs to review and approve projects in a timely basis, moving
projects forward in an efficient manner and protecting irreplaceable cultural and
historical resources and sites.
CONCLUSION

SHA would like to thank you, Chairman Reed, and all the Members of the Senate
Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies for
the opportunity to submit testimony.
SHA would also like to thank the subcommittee for its commitment to historic
preservation.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

SOCIETY

OF

AMERICAN FORESTERS

The Society of American Foresters (SAF), with more than 12,000 professionals
working across all segments of the forestry profession, promotes science-based, sustainable management and stewardship of the Nations public and private forests.
SAF appreciates this opportunity to submit written public testimony on fiscal year
2015 appropriations because proper funding for the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and
the Department of Interior (DOI) is vital to conserving and improving the health
and productivity of our Nations forests.
Society as a whole relies on the 751 million acres of forests in the United States
to provide clean and abundant air and water, recreational opportunities, forest products, wildlife habitat, and scenic beauty. As our reliance continues to grow, pressures on forests from wildfires, drought, insects, disease, and invasive species have
risen to unprecedented levels. Land management agencies must manage these
mounting threats while still providing for multiple uses and important ecosystem
services. Maintaining this balance demands that Federal land managers identify innovative ways to maximize the rate of return when considering investments to improve the health of Americas forests.
The following highlights SAFs top priorities in the fiscal year 2015 budget process. These priorities impact a range of programs within USFS and DOI. Recognizing
fiscal constraints, these requests will assist forest managers in sustaining our Nations forests and providing a multitude of benefits for generations to come.
SAF TOP PRIORITIES

1. Adoption of a new approach to wildfire suppression funding that features flexible spending caps for emergency wildfire suppression costs in addition to funding USFS and DOI Hazardous Fuels Programs at a level that is sufficient to
conduct fuels reduction projects to reduce wildfire risks on Federal, State, and
private lands.
2. Increased funding levels for USFS Research and Development (R&D) to no less
than $231 million and no less than $72 million for the Forest Inventory and
Analysis Program (FIA).
3. Funding the Forest Health Management Program (FHP) as a consolidated
USFS State and Private Forestry budget line item at no less than $111 million.
4. Continued support for the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program
(CFLRP) at no less than $40 million.
5. Removal of the Bureau of Land Management Forest Ecosystem Health and Recovery Fund sunset provision set to go into effect at the end of fiscal year 2015.
SAF represents forestry and natural resources professionals working on public
and private forests across America. SAF members are eager to work with Federal
agencies and Congress to identify reasonable solutions to facilitate increasing the
pace of management on Federal lands.

228
Since 1910, forest area in the U.S. has been relatively stable, with a slight increase in the last two decades.1 The current volume of annual timber growth is 32
percent higher than the volume of annual removals, but SAF is concerned that 90
percent of the timber harvested in the Nation came from private forestlands.2
SAF is pleased that the administration recognizes the need for management of
Federal lands, and set a harvest target of three billion board feet for fiscal year
2015. With 65 to 82 million acres in the National Forest System (NFS) in need of
restoration and total U.S. timber harvests at the lowest levels since the 1960s, SAF
encourages USFS to seize this opportunity to implement more projects on Federal
lands.3 USFS can work with rural communities to get these projects started now
without adding the potential for complications and confusion that could arise with
the expansion of the Integrated Resource Restoration (IRR) line item beyond the
pilot phase. SAF members are convinced that this volume target can be reached
using existing mechanisms and infrastructure. The increased volume output will
help to satisfy increased demand for construction and wood products while also improving the health and resilience of our Nations forests.
SAF BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS

Simply appropriating dollars for Federal land management agencies is not

enough. Successful implementation of USFS and DOI programs is predicated on
finding an alternative to how fire suppression activities are managed and funded.
In the span of only 2 yearsfiscal year 2012 and 2013USFS and DOI were forced
to transfer more than $1 billion that Congress had appropriated to other priority
programs to fund fire suppression. Changing the fire funding structure and committing to fund the Hazardous Fuels Programs at USFS and DOI will prevent future
transfers and assist the agencies in achieving important land management objectives.
SAF encourages the subcommittee to avoid transfers in fiscal year 2015 by including language similar to the bipartisan Wildfire Disaster Funding Act, introduced in
the House and Senate (H.R. 3992 & S. 1875) in the fiscal year 2015 House Appropriations Bill.
A balanced approach to averting threats posed by fire is imperative. The Hazardous Fuels line items in the USFS and DOI budgets are integral to restoring forest health and resilience and reducing the costs of wildfire suppression. SAF members appreciate this subcommittees consistent support for wildfire management and
encourage the subcommittee to allocate funds to address fire risks inside and outside the wildland urban interface. Directing funds to treat areas outside of the
wildland urban interface will reduce the costs associated with suppression and, in
certain instances, the intensity of wildfires after outbreak. SAF supports consolidating hazardous fuels funding in the USFS and DOI Hazardous Fuels Programs
with $479 million allocated for USFS and $178 million allocated for DOI.
Investments in forestry research are investments in the future health and sustainability of the Nations forests. USFS R&D conducts essential research on disturbances, forest ecosystems, species and forest resilience, treatment methods for
controlling forest insects, diseases, and invasive species, renewable energy development and woody biomass conversion technology, and forest products and technology.
SAF is concerned that the forestry research capacity in the U.S. continues to decline, threatening U.S. competitiveness and the ability of forest managers to meet
tomorrows challenges with current science and technical information. SAF supports
a funding level of $231 million for USFS R&D with particular emphasis on
prioritizing research efforts and transferring knowledge to forestry professionals
working in the field.
USFS R&D Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program is the backbone of U.S.
forestry, providing the only national census of forests across all ownerships.
Through FIA, USFS (partnering with State forestry agencies and the private sector)
collects and analyzes forest data to assess trends on issues such as forest health and
management, fragmentation and parcelization, and forest carbon sequestration. The
data and information collected by FIA serves as the basis for: identifying trends in
1 U.S. Forest Service (USFS). 2007. U.S. Forest Resource Facts and Historical Trends. Available online at http://fia.fs.fed.us/library/brochures/docs/Forest%20Facts%201952-2007%20English
%20rev072411.pdf; last accessed April 2015.
2 U.S. Forest Service (USFS). 2010. National Report on Sustainable Forests2010. Available
online
at
http://www.fs.fed.us/research/sustain/2010SustainabilityReport/documents/2010l
SustainabilityReport.pdf; last accessed April 2015.
3 U.S. Forest Service (USFS). 2010. National Report on Sustainable Forests2010. Available
online
at
http://www.fs.fed.us/research/sustain/2010SustainabilityReport/documents/2010l
SustainabilityReport.pdf; last accessed April 2015.

229
forest ownership; assessing fish and wildlife habitat; evaluating wildfire, insect, and
disease risk; predicting the spread of invasive species; determining capital investment in existing forest products facilities and selecting locations for new forest product facilities; and identifying and responding to priorities identified in State Forest
Action Plans. FIA data also evaluates forest disturbance risks, such as wildfire, insects and disease, and spread of invasive species. SAF members urge this subcommittee to reverse the spending cuts to FIA and requests funding in fiscal year
2015 at a level of at least $72 million.
USFS State and Private Forestry (S&PF) allocations support sustainable forestry
on public and private lands. SAF strongly supports funding S&PF programs to work
in cooperation with the States to provide assistance to private landowners who own
more than 50 percent of the forestland in the United States. The consolidated S&PF
Forest Health Management programs (FHP) manage forest health through direct action on the NFS lands and provide assistance to other Federal agencies, State and
local agencies, and private landowners to prevent and mitigate insect and disease
outbreaks as well as the spread of invasive species. SAF recommends funding FHP
at the fiscal year 2012 enacted funding levels of $111 million to continue monitoring
and responding to forest health concerns.
SAF remains committed to the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP). CFLRP encourages collaborative, science-based ecosystem restoration on priority forest landscapes.4 In 4 years, the 23 selected projects have reduced
hazardous fuels, generated timber receipts, and provided a boost to rural economies.5 To ensure CFLRPs continued success, SAF supports a $40 million dollar
funding level and consideration of additional funds for the program if available.
In closing, SAF would like to highlight an issue of concern. SAF members were
delighted with the return of the Bureau of Land Management Public Domain Forestry Program (PD) to fiscal year 2012 funding levels as a part of the 2014 Omnibus
Appropriations Bill. However, SAF members are troubled by the pending loss of the
Forest Ecosystem Health and Recovery Fund, commonly referred to as the 5900 account. This fund allows PD and BLM Oregon and California Railroad Grant Lands
(O&C) to use a portion of the receipts from sales of timber and wood products on
BLM lands not returned to the neighboring counties to fund management activities.
This permanent operating fund created in the Appropriations Act of 1993 expires
at the end of fiscal year 2015.
After fiscal year 2015, all receipts generated from these sales currently used to
continue management and restoration activities on PD and O&C lands will be returned to the Federal treasury. This loss of revenue will leave few dollars in the
tight PD budget for planning, preparing, implementing, and monitoring forest ecosystem restoration activities. SAF recognizes that permanent operating fund accounts should be periodically evaluated for continued relevance or possible elimination, but BLMs use of the 5900 account reduces the budgeted dollars required
to operate PD. SAF recommends this account be reauthorized and not allowed to
expire at the end of fiscal year 2015.
Thank you for your time and consideration of these important requests. SAF and
its extensive network of forestry and natural resources professionals stand ready to
assist with further development and implementation of these efforts.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

SOUTHERN UTE INDIAN TRIBE

JANUARY 16, 2015.

Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: On behalf of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, I am requesting your support for fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the
Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program
consistent with the Presidents recommended budget. I request that the subcommittee:
4 U.S. Forest Service. 2012. Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program. U.S. Forest
Service Web site. Accessible online at http://www.fs.fed.us/restoration/CFLR/index.shtml; last
accessed April 2015.
5 U.S. Forest Service 2014. Fiscal year 2015 Presidents Budget Justification. Available online
at http://www.fs.fed.us/aboutus/budget/2015/FS15-FS-Budget-Justification.pdf; last accessed
April 2015.

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Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
The tribe requests the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015
funding to allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in
these two vitally important recovery programs. The tribe recognizes and appreciates
that the past support and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated
the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
JAMES L. OLGUIN,
Chairman.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

SOUTHWESTERN WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

APRIL 8, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: The Southwestern Water Conservation District was established by the Colorado legislature to conserve and protect the waters of the San Juan and Dolores Rivers and their tributaries.
Following this mandate, I am requesting your support for fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program in the amount of $1,392,100.00 consistent with the Presidents
recommended budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
On behalf of our District board, I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize

231
and appreciate that the past support and assistance of your subcommittee has
greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
BRUCE WHITEHEAD,
Executive Director.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

SQUAXIN ISLAND TRIBE

On behalf of the tribal leadership and members of the Squaxin Island Tribe,
thank you for the invitation to submit our funding priorities and recommendations
for the fiscal year 2015 budgets for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and Indian
Health Service (IHS). Squaxin Island Tribe requests that tribal program funding
throughout the Federal Government be exempt from future sequestration cuts. Further we ask that the legal obligations to pay full Contract Support Costs (CSC) not
be at the expense of reducing tribal program funding and that tribal programs not
be subjected to across the board rescissions not imposed on other beneficiaries of the
Federal Government. For the fiscal year 2015 budget, we submit the following requests:
TRIBAL SPECIFIC REQUESTS

1. $500,000 Shellfish Management ProgramBIA.

2. $2 Million to Build and Operate an Oyster and Clam Nursery for Southern
Puget SoundBIA.
3. $1.5 Million Increase for Northwest Indian Treatment Center (NWITC) Residential Program in IHS.
NATIONAL REQUESTS AND RECOMMENDATIONSBUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

1. Restore 2013 Sequestered Cuts ($119 million) to Tribal Program Funding.

2. $4 million over fiscal year 2015 request to fully fund Contract Support Costs
(CSC).
3. $19.3 million over fiscal year 2014 for Tribal Priority Allocations Account.
4. Fully fund all of the provisions of the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010 that
authorizes additional funding for law and order programs that affect Indian
Tribes;
5. $500,000 for Johnson OMalley education assistance grants to support a new
student count in 2015 and provides funding for the projected increase in the
number of students eligible for grants.
6. Office of Self-Governance (OSG)Provide increased funding to the OSG to
fully staff the office for the increase in the number of Tribes entering Self-Governance.
NATIONAL REQUESTS AND RECOMMENDATIONSINDIAN HEALTH SERVICE

1. Restore 2013 Sequestered Cuts ($220 Million) to Tribal Health Services.

2. Support IHS Mandatory Funding (maintain current services).
3. $30 million over fiscal year 2015 request to fully fund Contract Support
Costs (CSC).
4. $50 million over 2015 request for Purchased and Referred Care.
5. Restore $6 million to the Office of Tribal Self-Governance (OTSG) to fulfill
legal requirements under title V of Public Law 106260 which increased the
responsibilities of OTSG.
The Squaxin Island Tribes supports the fiscal year 2015 budgets requests of the
Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, Northwest Portland Area Indian Health
Board and the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.
SQUAXIN ISLAND TRIBE BACKGROUND

We are native people of South Puget Sound and descendants of the maritime people who lived and prospered along these shores for untold centuries. We are known
as the People of the Water because of our strong cultural connection to the natural
beauty and bounty of Puget Sound going back hundreds of years. The Squaxin Island Indian Reservation is located in southeastern Mason County, Washington and
the tribe is a signatory to the 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty. We were one of the first
30 federally-recognized Tribes to enter into a Compact of Self-Governance with the
United States.
Our treaty-designated reservation, Squaxin Island, is approximately 2.2 square
miles of uninhabited forested land, surrounded by the bays and inlets of southern

232
Puget Sound. Because the Island lacks fresh water, the tribe has built its community on roughly 26 acres at Kamilche, Washington purchased and placed into trust.
The tribe also owns 6 acres across Pickering Passage from Squaxin Island and a
plot of 36 acres on Harstine Island, across Peale Passage. The total land area including off-reservation trust lands is 1,715.46 acres. In addition, the tribe manages
roughly 500 acres of Puget Sound tidelands.
The tribal government and our economic enterprises constitute the largest employer in Mason County with over 1,250 employees. The tribe has a current enrollment of 1,040 and an on-reservation population of 426 living in 141 homes. Squaxin
has an estimated service area population of 2,747; a growth rate of about 10 percent, and an unemployment rate of about 30 percent (according to the BIA Labor
Force Report).
TRIBAL SPECIFIC REQUESTS JUSTIFICATIONS

1. $500,000SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT.The Squaxin Island Tribes faces a

budget deficit to maintain and operate the shellfish program at the current level.
To effectively grow and develop the program, an annual minimum increase of
$500,000 to address the shortfall and ensure the continuance of this program is requested.
Shellfish have been a mainstay for the Squaxin Island people for thousands of
years and are important today for subsistence, economic and ceremonial purposes.
The tribes right to harvest shellfish is guaranteed by the 1854 Medicine Creek
Treaty. It is important to remember that these rights were not granted by the Federal Government. They were retained by the tribe in exchange for thousands of
acres of tribal lands. On December 20, 1994 U.S. District Court Judge Edward
Rafeedie reaffirmed the tribes treaty right to naturally occurring shellfish. Rafeedie
ruled that the tribe(s) has the right to take up to 50 percent of the harvestable
shellfish on Washington beaches.
The Squaxin Island Natural Resources Department (SINRD) is charged with protecting, managing and enhancing the land and water resources of the tribe, including fish and shellfish habitat and species. In so doing, the Department works cooperatively with State and Federal environmental, natural resources and health agencies. The shellfish management work of the SINRD includes working with private
tideland owners and commercial growers; surveying beaches; monitoring harvests;
enhancing supply (prepping, seeding, monitoring beds) and licensing and certifying
harvesters and geoduck divers. We estimate that 20 percent of treaty-designated
State lands and 8090 percent of private tidelands are inaccessible to us due to insufficient funding.
In fiscal year 2011, the shellfish program represented only $250,000 of the $3.3
million budget. The result is we are unable to fully exercise our treaty rights due
to lack of Federal support for shellfish.
2. $2 MillionBuild and Operate an Oyster and Clam Nursery for Southern
Puget Sound.In the past few years, problems with seed production have developed
in the shellfish industry. These problems have been primarily caused by weather
and or other environmental factors, and their effects on the industry have resulted
in the lack of viable and large enough seed for growers. The Squaxin Island Tribe
recognizes that it is uniquely positioned to develop a new nursery to serve the shellfish growers of the South Puget Sound region. A shellfish nursery is a capital
project that is both proven and a cost effective technology that takes small oyster
and clam seeds and provides a safe and controlled environment for the seeds to
grow to a size that can survive integration onto a regular beach placement. We have
an ideal location for a nursery because it will not be disturbed by residents or recreational boaters.
Our efforts will be an extension of another project that was created through a
U.S. Department of Agriculture appropriation nearly two decades ago for the Lummi
Tribe, which created an oyster and clam hatchery in Northern Puget Sound. The
Lummi project over years has been very successful and they have supplied not only
their own beaches but other tribes in their region as well. The project would benefit
not just Squaxin Island Tribe. It would further improve the quality and quantity
of seed and make the seed process more effective for tribal and non-tribal growers.
The users of the facility would be the Squaxin Island Tribe, other Tribes, and nontribal clam and oyster businesses that have been largely unable to find sites for this
type of operation.
The tribes project will be a joint venture with the Lummi Nation, in that Lummi
would be a primary larvae supplier. The project, with the expected grow-out and expansion of the industry attributable to the improved supply of seed, would offer jobs

233
in a depressed employment area. Once established, the venture would be fully selfsustaining through sales of the product grown and at the nursery.
This project would be a capital cost of approximately $2 million. The tribal in-kind
contribution to the efforts would include land and shoreline and operating costs.
Comparable land and shoreline, if privately owned, would be easily valued in the
millions.
3. $1.5 Million Increase for Northwest Indian Treatment Center (NWITC) Residential Program in IHS D3WXbi Palil meaning Returning from the Dark, Deep Waters to the LightNWITC has not received an adequate increase in its base Indian
Health Service budget since the original Congressional set-aside in 1993.The
Squaxin Island Tribe has been operating the Northwest Indian Treatment Center
(NWITC) since 1994. Ingenious in creativity, the center offers a wide variety of cultural activities and traditional/religious ceremonies, making it a natural place to
healbody, mind and soul. Fittingly, the center was given the spiritual name
D3WXbi Palil meaning Returning from the Dark, Deep Waters to the Light.
Since the original Congressional set-aside in 1993, NWITC has not received an adequate increase in the base Indian Health Service budget. It is critical to increase
the NWITCs annual base in order to sustain the current services to the Tribes of
the Northwest. An increase of $1.5 million would restore lost purchasing power and
meet the need to add mental health and psychiatric components to the treatment
program through other funding agents. This increase would allow NWITC to continue its effective treatment of Native Americans.
NWITC is a residential chemical dependency treatment facility designed to serve
American Indians from tribes located in Oregon, Washington and Idaho who have
chronic relapse patterns related to unresolved grief and trauma. NWITC is unique
in its integration of tribal cultural values into a therapeutic environment for co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders. It is a 28 bed, 3060 day residential facility.
Welcomed and hailed by tribal Leaders who felt the urgent need for such a facility, NWITC is centrally located in Grays Harbor County between Olympia and Aberdeen, on 2.5 acres in the small rural town of Elma, Washington. NWITC accepts
patients that are referred through outpatient treatment programs, parole and probation services, hospitals, assessment centers and child and family service centers.
Medical care is provided through local Indian Health Service clinics and other medical service providers. NWITC has responded with an overwhelming success rate of
nearly 65 percent.
In 2011, the NWITC served 225 patients from 28 tribes and added intensive case
management and crisis support to alumni in order to continue to promote positive
outcomes for clients. Despite funding challenges, NWITC has continued to develop
and deliver innovative, culturally appropriate services to meet increasingly complex
demands.
The Treatment Centers traditional foods and medicines program is supported
through a partnership with the Northwest Indian College and is funded through
grants from the Washington Health Foundation, the National Institute of Food and
Agriculture, The Potlatch Fund and several tribes. Weekly hands-on classes focus
on traditional foods and medicines, including methods for growing, harvesting, processing, and preparation. Twice a month, tribal elders, storytellers, and cultural specialists speak as part of the program. A monthly family class allows patients to
share what they are learning with their loved ones. Patients gain hands-on experience by working in three on-site teaching gardens. This program serves as a model
for other tribal communities.
Although we are submitting testimony on the fiscal year 2015 BIA and IHS budgets, we must comment on the fiscal year 2013 sequestration which disproportionately impacted tribal programs. The BIA and IHS tribal funding incurred a disproportionate share of cuts; IHS $220 million and BIA $119 million. This act continues to undermine Indian treaty rights and the Federal obligations and trust responsibility to American Indian and Alaskan Native people. The ongoing contribution of tribal nations to the U.S. economy is the land on which this Nation is built.
It is ironic that we were forced into a lifestyle and to give up our land, and that
which we retained or have since regained is threatened by the promises you made
and have since reclaimed!

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

ST. REGIS MOHAWK TRIBE

The requests of the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe for the fiscal year 2015 Indian Health
Service (IHS) budget are as follows:

234
Ensure that Contract Support Costs continue to be fully funded by moving the
program to mandatory entitlement spending.
Support reauthorization of the Special Diabetes Program for Indians.
Place IHS funding on an advance appropriations basis.
The St. Regis Mohawk Tribe is located astride the U.S. Canadian border in northern New York. Traditionally the keepers of the Eastern Door of the Iroquois Confederacy, we have continued as a government for our people since before the arrival
of Europeans on U.S. shores. We cooperate with the United States on a nation-tonation basis, and today operate our own environmental, social, policing, economic,
health and educational programs, policies, laws and regulations. We operate our
own medical clinic, and provide a variety of services from mental healthcare, nutrition care, pharmacy and laboratory services, outpatient services, dental care, pregnancy care, and other services.
ENSURE CONTRACT SUPPORT COSTS RECEIVE FUNDING VIA MANDATORY SPENDING

We are pleased that the administration has sought to fully fund contract support
costs (CSC) under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
(ISDEAA) in fiscal year 2015, and we urge Congress to support that goal. We also
acknowledge that the administrations request is a direct response to Congress actions with regard to fiscal year 2014 appropriations, which removed historical caps
on CSC funding and rejected the administrations proposalput forward without
consultation and vehemently opposed by tribesto individually cap contract support
cost recovery at the contractor level. Contract support costs fund vital administrative functions that allow us to operate programs that provide critical services to our
membersprograms like those described above. If contract support costs are not
fully funded, however, our programs and services are directly impacted because we
are forced to divert limited program funding to cover fixed overhead expenses instead. We therefore appreciate Congress support in fiscal year 2014 and hope that
it carries through to fiscal year 2015 and beyond.
However, the CSC funding problem is not yet solved. Full funding for CSC must
not come with a penaltynamely, a reduction in program funding or effective permanent sequestration of Indian program funds. That result would have the same
devastating effect on our service delivery as the failure to fully fund CSC. Yet Congress, in the Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the fiscal year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act, noted that since [contract support costs] fall under
discretionary spending, they have the potential to impact all other programs funded
under the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, including other equally important tribal programs. Moreover, without any permanent measure to ensure full
funding, payment of CSC remains subject to agency discretion from year to year,
even though tribes are legally entitled to payment under the ISDEAA. Noting these
ongoing conflicts of law, Congress directed the agencies to consult with tribes on a
permanent solution.
In our view, there is a logical permanent solution which Congress is empowered
to implement: CSC should be appropriated as a mandatory entitlement. The Congressional Budget Office defines Entitlement as A legal obligation of the Federal
Government to make payments to a person, group of people, business, unit of government, or similar entity that meets the eligibility criteria set in law and for which
the budget authority is not provided in advance in an appropriation act. Further,
Spending for entitlement programs is controlled through those programs eligibility
criteria and benefit or payment rules. 1 CSC meets every part of this definition except that the budget authority is currently provided and controlled through appropriation actsas if CSC were a discretionary program. Under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, the full payment of CSC is not discretionary, but is a legal obligation of the United States. Indeed, the underlying purpose of the ISDEAAto end Federal domination of Indian programs and allow for
meaningful control by Indian tribes over their own destinies in the face of Federal
bureaucratic resistancewill always be threatened so long as the mechanisms that
allow the statute to function are considered discretionary.
From an appropriations standpoint, the fiscal year 2014 Joint Explanatory Statement recognized that the current fundamental mismatch between the mandatory
nature of CSC and the current appropriation approach leaves both the House and
Senate Committees on Appropriations in the untenable position of appropriating
discretionary funds for the payment of any legally obligated contract support costs.
As the Joint Explanatory Statement also noted, Typically obligations of this nature
1 Congressional Budget Office Glossary, available at http://www.cbo.gov/publication/42904 (updated January 2012).

235
are addressed through mandatory spending. The obvious solution then is to bring
the appropriations process in line with the statutory requirements and to recognize
CSC for what it is: a mandatory entitlement, not a discretionary program. We therefore strongly urge the Congress to move to appropriate funding for CSC on a mandatory basis.
REAUTHORIZE THE SPECIAL DIABETES PROGRAM

While the entitlement funding for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians
(SDPI) is not part of the IHS appropriations process, those funds are administered
through the IHS. With the recent enactment (Public Law 11393) of a 1 year extension of the SDPI as part of the Medicare doc fix bill, it is funded through fiscal
year 2015 at $150 million, minus a 2 percent reduction ($3 million) due to the sequestration of non-exempt mandatory programs (Public Law 112240). This funding
level has not increased since 2004. The SDPI has proven highly effective in Indian
Country, and has produced excellent results. For example, in the 4 years preceding
the last report on the SDPI in 2011, the average blood sugar level dropped nearly
a percentage point overall, corresponding to a 40 percent decline in the risk of eye,
kidney, and nerve complications due to diabetes. We ask that you support ongoing
efforts to reauthorize this program for a 5-year period at increased funding levels.
FUND THE IHS ON AN ADVANCE APPROPRIATIONS BASIS

We support legislation that would place the IHS budget on an advance appropriations basis. The goal is for the IHS and tribal healthcare providers to have adequate
advance notice of the amount of Federal appropriations to expect and thus not be
subjected to the uncertainties of late funding and short-term Continuing Resolutions. Under advance appropriations 2 years of funds is approved in the first year,
but the second years worth of appropriations is not counted against the subcommittees allocation nor the Budget Resolution until the year in which it is obligated.
Thereafter funding is appropriated 1 year at a time, but it is 1 year in advance.
This contrasts with forward funding which does require a one-time extra (3/4 of a
year) funding that does count against the subcommittees allocation and the Budget
Resolution. Congress provides advance appropriations for the Veterans Administration medical accounts, and the request is for parity in the appropriations schedule
for the IHS. Legislation to authorize IHS advance appropriations has been introducedH.R. 3229 by Representative Young and S. 1570 by Senators Murkowski
and Begich. We ask that you support the effort to fund IHS on an advanced basis.
Thank you for your consideration of our requests. We will be glad to provide any
additional information the Committee may request.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

STATE

OF

NEW MEXICO

APRIL 29, 2014.

Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propaga-

236
tion and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
SCOTT A. VERHINES, P.E.,
New Mexico State Engineer.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

SUQUAMISH TRIBE

Dear Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Murkowski: The Suquamish Tribe
asks that you support economic development, job creation, and our national heritage
by appropriating increased funding for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) for fiscal year 2015. We agree with the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers that the appropriation needs to be $15 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (THPOs) and $50 million for State Historic Preservation Officers
(SHPOs).
Historic Preservation Officers funded through the HPF form the backbone of our
Nations historic preservation programs. Together these programs provide the tools
needed to revitalize, rehabilitate, and protect the places that give meaning to our
great Nation. Funding also leverages investments through local jobs, non-Federal
contributions, and long-term economic development in communities around the
country.
Tribal Historic Preservation Officers are recognized as the authentic representatives of cultures and societies that have been in existence for countless generations.
They are an active expression of tribal sovereignty and perform many functions and
responsibilities in Indian County. THPOs are involved with projects to improve Indian schools, roads, health clinics, and housing, conducting important Federal and
State compliance work. They are the first responders when a sacred site is threatened; when an ancestral home is uncovered; and when Native ancestors are disturbed by development. They are also responsible for their tribes oral history programs and operating tribal museums and cultural centers.
The amount appropriated in fiscal years 20122014 and the Presidents fiscal year
2015 request was $56.4 million. Of that amount, $46.9 million was for the State line
item and $9.0 million was for the tribal line item. In addition, $500,000 was appropriated for a competitive grant program to help survey and identify historic resources important to underrepresented populations.
Unfortunately, the amount of HPF funds appropriated is not keeping pace with
the increase in THPOs. There are now 151 THPOs, compared to only 12 in fiscal
year 1996 when the program was first funded. There are expected to be at least 156
THPOs in fiscal year 2015. The addition of new THPOs each year keeps the average
level of support per THPO suppressed below $60,000, barely enough to operate a
program to protect cultural resources on and off tribal lands.
Without adequate funding, Americas national treasures will be forever lost. The
HPF is the primary, and in many communities the only, means to ensure appropriate implementation of our Nations historic preservation laws and the only way
to adequately safeguard our historic resources. For nearly the past half century, the
HPF has enabled successful Federal-State, Federal-tribal, and public-private partnerships that have helped preserve historic sites and communities throughout the
Nation. Thank you for your continued support.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

SUSTAINABLE URBAN FORESTS COALITION

Dear Chairman Jack Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, and honorable members
of the subcommittee: The Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition (SUFC) represents
nonprofits, national associations, nursery and landscape professionals, public works
professionals, arborists, and others nationwide. Working together since 2004, these
diverse professionals monitor, care and advocate for urban trees and green infrastructure. Collectively, we are asking for your support for several programs under
the Interior Subcommittees jurisdiction that support urban forests and green infrastructure.

237
Urban forests are vital to creating and maintaining healthy, livable communities
of all sizes. Trees growing in populated areas are a key component of community
infrastructure and provide proven benefits to more than the 80 percent of Americans who live there. Urban forests enhance air and water quality, reduce energy
use, increase property values, and provide quantifiable health and wellness benefits
to people. Creating and maintaining a healthy tree canopy also creates a substantial
demand for green collar jobs in a sector poised for rapid growth.
USDA FOREST SERVICE

Since the passage of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1990, the Urban
and Community Forestry (U&CF) program has been a catalyst and provided important technical assistance for promoting healthy forests in our communities. In addition, the U&CF program provides critical assistance to help communities manage
risk, respond to storms and disturbance, and contain threats from invasive pests.
In 2013, the U&CF program delivered technical, financial, educational, and research
assistance to 7,292 communities and nearly 198 million people, over 60 percent of
the U.S. population. Urban forests are integral to any community striving to reinvest in itself, encourage active, healthy citizens, and create a healthier and more
sustainable environment with smart green infrastructure. The SUFC understands
the current economic conditions of the country and recommends fiscal year 2015
funding be allocated at fiscal year 2012 enacted levels for the Urban and Community Forestry program at $31.3 million.
The Forest Services Forest and Rangeland Research program is essential in providing support for urban forestry research activities focused on understanding conditions and trends in our Nations urban and community forests and in providing tools
and best management practices to community groups and urban forestry practitioners. Forest Service researchers and partners have made huge strides in recent
years in developing new technologies and tools, such as the i-Tree program, for mapping the urban forest and to understand the current situation and future trends.
Similarly, agency researchers have been helping policymakers and practitioners to
understand the environmental, economic, and social services that trees and forests
provide. The SUFC urges Congress to provide funding for the Forest and Rangeland
Research line item at $303 million. This reflects $231 million for basic forest research, consistent with the fiscal year 2012 enacted level, and $72 million for Forest
Inventory and Analysis (FIA). We also call the subcommittees attention to our collaborative efforts with the Forest Service to make progress toward incorporating
urban forest assessments into the agencys FIA program. We urge the subcommittee
to encourage the Forest Service to make strong efforts to integrate urban forests
into FIA so that its critical data-collection efforts on our Nations forests include the
estimated 100 million acres of urban forest lands.
Finally, the SUFC wishes to thank Congress for the report language it included
with the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014, which encourages the Forest
Service to maintain a strong urban forest research program. While there is no budget line item for urban forestry research, the Forest Service has recognized Urban
Natural Resources Stewardship as one of seven Priority Research Areas within its
overall Forest and Rangeland Research program. We urge the subcommittee to continue including such language in its Interior Appropriations reports as a reflection
of Congress interest in strong urban forestry research in the absence of a budget
line item.
Exotic pests and invasive species are among the greatest threats to urban forests.
Trees in our towns and cities are at risk from non-native insects and diseases such
as the emerald ash borer and Asian longhorned beetle. Non-native pests already
cost city governments $2 billion each year to remove and replace trees they have
killed. Homeowners in these communities pay another $1 billion per year to remove
dead trees from their own properties. The substantial loss of trees in our communities also impacts the quality of life and property values. Funding for the Forest
Health Program supports activities related to prevention, suppression, and eradication of insects, diseases, and plants as well as conducting forest health monitoring
through pest surveys. SUFC supports no less than fiscal year 2012 funding levels
of $111 million (of which $48 million was directed to cooperative lands) in fiscal year
2015 for the USDA Forest Service Forest Health Management Program.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

All forests play vital roles in delivering clean water to communities of every size.
Urban and rural forests offer fiscally-sound green solutions to the management of
stormwater, water storage, groundwater recharge, and pollutant reduction. Green
infrastructure is a cost-effective and resilient approach to stormwater infrastructure

238
needs that provides many community benefits: improving water and air quality; reducing energy use and mitigating climate change; improving habitat for wildlife; reducing a communitys infrastructure cost and promoting economic growth.
SUFC supports the EPAs goal of strengthening green infrastructure activities to
further sustainability goals by incorporating green infrastructure and enhancing
stormwater management. SUFC also supports efforts to expand the use of green infrastructure to meet Clean Water Act goals through the Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF). SUFC supports the Presidents fiscal year 2015 request of $5
million to strengthen green infrastructure activities, and the fiscal year 2014 enacted level of $1.449 billion for CWSRF.
The Urban Waters Federal Partnership is a 13 interagency coordinated effort
helps stimulate local economies, create jobs, improve quality of life, and protect
health by revitalizing urban waterways and the communities around them, focusing
on underserved urban communities of all sizes. SUFC supports appropriating fiscal
year 2015 funding to the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, coordinated by the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water.
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND

SUFC supports full and dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation
Fund (LWCF), including funding for the State and Local Assistance Program. We
support the fiscal year 2015 budget request which calls for permanent authorization
of $900 million in mandatory funding for LWCF programs in the Departments of
Interior and Agriculture beginning in 2016. During the transition to permanent
funding in 2015, the budget proposes $350 million in discretionary and $550 million
in permanent funding, shared by the Departments of Interior and Agriculture. This
includes discretionary funding for State Assistance grants at $48.1 million, which
includes $3 million for Competitive Grants.
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

The reestablishment of the Urban Parks Recreation and Recovery (UPARR) program within the National Parks Service, proposed to be funded through the Land
and Water Conservation Fund, is essential to bring nature to the urban communities. These competitive grants focus on engaging and connecting communities, especially young people, to their neighborhood parks through projects that would revitalize and rehabilitate park and recreation opportunities. SUFC supports the Presidents fiscal year 2015 request of $25 million from LWCF for the Urban Park and
Recreation Recovery Program (UPARR).
Sincerely,
Alliance For Community Trees
National Association of Conservation
Districts
American Forests
National Association of State Foresters
AmericanHort
National Recreation and Parks
American Planning Association
Association
American Public Works
Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory
American Rivers
Committee
American Society of Landscape
Outdoor Power Equipment Institute
Architects
Professional Landcare Network
Arbor Day Foundation
Sacramento Tree Foundation
Davey Tree Foundation
SavATree Consulting Group
Keep America Beautiful
Society of American Foresters
International Society of Arboriculture
Society of Municipal Arborists
National Association of Clean Water
The Nature Conservancy
Agencies
Tree Care Industries Association

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

TEAMING WITH WILDLIFE STEERING COMMITTEE

This testimony is submitted on behalf of the following members of the national

Teaming With Wildlife Steering Committee:
Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies
The Nature Conservancy
Association of Zoos & Aquariums
The Wildlife Society
Izaak Walton League of America
Wildlife Conservation Society
National Wildlife Federation
Wildlife Management Institute
Chairman Reed and Ranking Member Murkowski and members of the subcommittee: Thank you for this opportunity to provide recommendations on the fiscal

239
year 2015 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The
6,414 organizations and businesses that are part of the Teaming With Wildlife coalition represent millions of birders, fish and wildlife professionals, hunters, anglers,
boaters, hikers and other nature enthusiasts. The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants
program was created in response to this diverse coalition. We encourage the subcommittee to provide a minimum of $58.695 million for the State & Tribal Wildlife
Grants program in fiscal year 2015, which would avoid further cuts to this program.
Funding for the State & Tribal Wildlife Grants program has been reduced by 35
percent since fiscal year 2010.
The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program is the only Federal program with
the singular purpose of preventing Federal endangered species listings. It is achieving success as highlighted in the State Wildlife Grants Success Stories Report which
showed how partnerships in every State are conserving vulnerable fish and wildlife,
including many that are candidates for Federal endangered species listing. The program is providing needed capacity to assess and implement actions to conserve
many of the hundreds of species that have been petitioned for Federal endangered
species listing.
Preventing new endangered species listings is a goal shared by conservationists,
business, farmers and ranchers and has broad bipartisan support. Through early
and strategic action, we can be successful in preventing new endangered species.
Adequate and consistent funding for the program is essential to fulfillment of the
shared Federal-State responsibility for keeping our Nations wildlife from becoming
endangered. Now more than ever, we should be focusing limited resources on this
kind of smart, effective investment in conservation.
The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program has been cut by 13 since 2010. The
reduction in funding is impacting States and their partners ability to restore habitat, protect land, incentivize private lands conservation, monitor species, conduct research and mitigate threats like invasive species and disease. Past cuts are slowing
conservation work which is leading to a higher probability for future endangered
species listings. There is no other program that can take the place of the State and
Tribal Wildlife Grants program.
Although the need is much greater, continued funding will help maintain essential capacity to conserve the more than 12,000 species that States have identified
as at-risk in their State Wildlife Action Plans. These plans were developed collaboratively by leading scientists, conservationists, sportsmen and private landowners
and identified the most effective and practical means to prevent wildlife from becoming endangered in every State, territory and the District of Columbia. The plans
are up for a critical 10-year review and revision in 2015. Funding is needed to ensure States and their partners have the resources needed to update the plans to ensure the best science is available to inform the plans so that successful implementation can be achieved.
We understand and appreciate the fiscal constraints that face our Nation. However, the investment in the State & Tribal Wildlife Grants program is relatively
modest compared to the scope of work it funds (proactive conservation in all 56
States, territories and the District of Columbia) and the importance of that work
(recovery of some of our Nations most imperiled fish and wildlife). We appreciate
the subcommittees past support for the State and Tribal Wildlife Grants program
and hope the highest level of funding possible will be realized for the program in
fiscal year 2015.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

THEATRE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP

Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the subcommittee, Theatre Communications Groupthe national service organization for the American theatreis
grateful for this opportunity to submit testimony on behalf of our 494 not-for-profit
member theatres across the country and the 36 million audience members that the
theatre community serves. We urge you to support funding at $155 million for the
National Endowment for the Arts for fiscal year 2015.
Indeed, the entire not-for-profit arts industry stimulates the economy, creates jobs
and attracts tourism dollars. The not-for-profit arts generate $135.2 billion annually
in economic activity, support 4.13 million jobs and return $9.59 billion in Federal
income taxes. Art museums, exhibits and festivals combine with performances of
theatre, dance, opera and music to draw tourists and their consumer dollars to communities nationwide. Federal funding for the arts creates a significant return, generating many more dollars in matching funds for each Federal dollar awarded, and
is clearly an investment in the economic health of America. In an uncertain economy where corporate donations and foundation grants to the arts are diminished,

240
and increased ticket prices would undermine efforts to broaden and diversify audiences, these Federal funds simply cannot be replaced. Maintaining the strength of
the not-for-profit sector, along with the commercial sector, will be vital to supporting
the economic health of our Nation.
Our countrys not-for-profit theatres develop innovative educational activities and
outreach programs, providing millions of young people, including at-risk youth,
with important skills for the future by expanding their creativity and developing
problem-solving, reasoning and communication abilitiespreparing todays students
to become tomorrows citizens. Our theatres present new works and serve as catalysts for economic growth in their local communities. These theatres also nurture
and provide artistic homes for the development ofthe current generation of acclaimed writers, actors, directors and designers working in regional theatre, on
Broadway and in the film and television industries. At the same time, theatres have
become increasingly responsive to their communities, serving as healing forces in
difficult times, and producing work that reflects and celebrates the strength of our
Nations diversity.
NEA GRANTS AND THEIR IMPACT

Here are some recent examples of NEA grants and their impact:
With a $10,000 Art Works grant from the NEA, Trinity Repertory Company in
Providence, Rhode Island, will produce a new production of Oliver, directed by Sharon and Richard Jenkins. Audience members will experience a production which offers fresh insights to a classic work, giving prominence to character and narrative,
and introducing updated orchestrations that reveal the beauty of the music. Postshow discussions will encourage audiences to immediately reflect on their ideas.
Outreach activities will include a free performance for constituents served by social
service agencies, and a pay-what-you-can performance. Six matinees will welcome
3,000 school children, and workshops will bring actors and other teaching artists
into the regions classrooms for 50 customized pre- and post-show sessions. Fifteen
actors and musicians will be employed, as well as designers, artisans and a 100member staff. Nine local children will also receive the enriching experience of working in a professional theatre while living at home and staying in school.
In order to create a lasting impact on the field and promote burgeoning playwrights, South Coast Repertory (SCR) based in Costa Mesa, California received a
$50,000 Art Works grant to support the 17th annual Pacific Playwrights Festival
which brings together artists, local audiences and theatre professionals from across
the country. Audiences will enjoy seven previously unproduced works and the world
premieres of Samuel D. Hunters Rest, Rachel Bonds Five Mile Lake and Adam
Rapps The Purple Lights of Joppa Illinois. Additionally, the festival will include
staged readings of Theresa Rebecks Zealot, Eliza Clarks Future Thinking, Rajiv Josephs Mr. Wolf and Melissa Ross Of Good Stock. All five readings from last years
festival went on to full productions at SCR and other theatres. This NEA grant will
help support all seven projects and advance new American playwrights across the
American stage. In addition to programming like this festival SCR annually serves
more than 15,000 Orange County students and teachers through ticketing programs
and bus subsidies that make professional theatre accessible to underserved youth
and free after-school dramatics workshops available for at-risk children in Title One
elementary schools.
Weston Playhouse Theatre based in Weston, Vermont, received a $20,000 grant
to support a production of Pulitzer-Prize winning author, Annie Bakers adaptation
of Anton Chekhovs Uncle Vanya. The production is being complemented by a series of engagement and learning opportunities. In the spring, a teachers workshop
was held that provided more than a dozen educators with a wealth of knowledge
about the playwright, the play, the art of translation, and the creative process of
production development. In the early fall, these educators will bring their students
to a matinee performance of this masterpiece for just $9 a ticket. Teachers will have
the opportunity to engage with their students after the show, with carefully-prepared study guides. Last years Mockingbird matinee series brought in 1,365 students and 75 educators. Similar numbers are expected this year. For adults this
summer, there will be a gallery showing of the 1994 film Vanya on 42nd Street,
and plans are in place for a pre-show reception for a group from the Vermont Land
Trust, igniting the environmental themes explored in all of Chekhovs work and giving members of the community the opportunity to have a voice in addition to a deep
artistic experience.
Not only did the NEAs funding contribute to realizing this production, but it also
helped to further Weston Playhouse Theatre Companys mission to enrich the lives
of a broad rural population with theatre of national quality and significance sup-

241
ported through education and outreach. To do this, a year-round staff of seven
swells to more than a hundred during the summer months. Every summer, more
than 20,000 ticket-holders take a seat in one of Westons three performance spaces.
Each production is enhanced with show notes, director notes, pre-show director
talks, and post-show talkbacks. In building audiences and performers for the future,
Weston runs a Student Ambassador program, as well as residency programs in local
schools and classes.
The NEA has awarded Shakespeare Festival St. Louis in Missouri a $15,000
grant to support Shakespeare in the Streets (SITS), a grassroots theatrical experience that invites St. Louis diverse neighborhoods to tell their unique community
stories. Under the guidance of a creative team, community residents contribute to
developing an original play based on Shakespeares worksa play whose themes reflect the communitys social and economic character. Their partnership results in
three free street performances that showcase the combined talents of professional
actors performing alongside local residents. The project uses techniques in community co-creation to inspire regional collaboration and conversation.
The audience for the three free performances was over 2000 people in 2013. Over
130 local area residents participated in the production aimed to reclaim St. Louis
city streets as places of community, conversation, and collaboration. The program
employs dozens of artists, teaching artists, and provides stipends for neighborhood
young people to work professionally with the Festival and gain transferable skills
to other disciplines. SITS involves dozens of corporate, foundation, and community
partners and provides educational workshops at all three area schools, followed by
free Summer Shakespeare Camps for neighborhood students, allowing them the
chance to create their own version of the Shakespeare production while fostering an
understanding of Shakespeares universal themes. The Festival annually employs
over 80 artists and craftsmen, serves over 25,000 young people at 125 schools, and
performs for more than 60,000 patrons each year through its main stage and community programs. In 2013 the Festival entertained its 600,000th patron in Forest
Park.
These are only a few examples of the kinds of extraordinary programs supported
by the National Endowment for the Arts. Indeed, the Endowments Theatre Program is able to fund only 50 percent of the applications it receives, so 50 percent
of the theatres are turned away because there arent sufficient funds. Theatre Communications Group urges you to support a funding level of $155 million for fiscal
year 2015 for the NEA, to maintain citizen access to the cultural, educational and
economic benefits of the arts, and to advance creativity and innovation in communities across the United States.
The arts infrastructure of the United States is critical to the Nations well-being
and its economic vitality. It is supported by a remarkable combination of government, business, foundation and individual donors. It is a striking example of Federal/State/private partnership. Federal support for the arts provides a measure of
stability for arts programs nationwide and is critical at a time when other sources
of funding are diminished. Further, the American public favors spending Federal
tax dollars in support of the arts. The NEA was funded at $146 million in the fiscal
year 2014 budget; however, it has never recovered from a 40 percent budget cut in
fiscal year 1996 and its programs are still under-funded. We urge the subcommittee
to fund the NEA at a level of $155 million to preserve the important cultural programs reaching Americans across the country.
Thank you for considering this request.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

TOWN

OF

BALDWIN, FLORIDA

This outside witness testimony is being submitted by the Town of Baldwin, Florida to the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies for consideration of fiscal year 2015 appropriations within the U.S. Department
of the Interior and/or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the amount of
$1,000,000.
I. PROJECT SYNOPSIS

The Town of Baldwin is presently under a Florida Department of Environmental

Protection (FDEP) Administrative Order (AO 160 NE) that calls for an investigation
and monitoring of the effluent wastewater discharge at the Baldwin Waste Water
Treatment Facility (WWTF), as FDEP does not have reasonable assurance the discharge will meet the State of Floridas numeric nutrient criteria (NNC). Because the
WWTF will not likely meet these NNC requirements, the town will look to completely eliminate all effluent surface water discharge.

242
This project aims to eliminate the WWTF surface water discharge by piping reclaimed/reuse water from the WWTF to the Brandy Branch Generating Station
owned and operated by the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) for use as cooling
water. Approximately 0.25 millions of gallons per day (MGD) annual average daily
flow (AADF) of wastewater effluent will be reused, resulting in the complete elimination of surface water discharge into the unnamed ditch that flows to Deep Creek.
The Brandy Branch Generating Station currently uses up to 1.0 MGD of groundwater for cooling water, and this project would reduce JEAs groundwater withdrawals by 0.25 MGD.
II. PROJECT EVALUATION

JEA owns and operates the Brandy Branch Generating Station which is located
east of Baldwin. This facility is a gas-fired power plant which utilizes 1.0 to 1.5
MGD of groundwater for cooling purposes, which far exceeds the Baldwin WWTF
average day design flow of 0.4 MGD and maximum day design flow of 0.8 MGD.
Discussions with JEA representatives have indicated that they would be willing to
accept the WWTF effluent for use as cooling water. The facility typically only utilizes cooling water during daylight hours. Effluent would be discharged at the base
of existing cooling towers which are located approximately 7 ft. above grade. The
facility has no onsite storage. Currently, the facility utilizes Floridan Aquifer wells
to supply 100 percent of their cooling water needs. This alternative would have the
added benefit of reducing groundwater withdrawals, in addition to eliminating a
surface water discharge.
The following facilities would be required to convey reclaimed water to the Brandy
Branch Generating Station: (1) effluent transfer pump station to pump reclaimed
water into an onsite ground storage tank; (2) 1.25 MG domed-top ground storage
tank at the WWTF site; (3) two high service pumps with variable frequency drives
(VFD); (4) 19,000 linear feet (LF) of 10-inch force main to convey reclaimed water
to Brandy Branch Generating Station; (5) two jack & bores of the CSX railroad and
two directional drills; (6) yard piping; (7) sitework and; (8) electrical/instrumentation.
Operation of the transfer pumps would be liquid level controlled. Operation of the
high service pumps would be flow and/or pressure controlled. The high service
pumps would shut off upon encountering high pressure resulting from a closed valve
at the Brandy Branch Generating Station. The ground storage tank would be
equipped with an overflow discharging to the existing surface water outfall in the
event that the tank filled to capacity. It is anticipated that an emergency discharge
to the surface water outfall would have to be maintained for those infrequent events
when the generating station was not taking cooling water for maintenance reasons.
No new treatment facilities would be required at the Baldwin WWTF, only storage
and pumping facilities.
A. Technical Feasibility
This project is technically feasible. Further evaluation of effluent quality by JEA
will be necessary to see what effects the blending with groundwater may have on
their facilities. Also, control logic for the high service pumps will need to be developed to coincide with JEAs operational requirements.
B. Design Criteria
Design criteria for the proposed facilities are summarized in Table B1, as follows:

TABLE B1DESIGN CRITERIA

Effluent Transfer Pump Station
Type ..................................................................................
Number .............................................................................
Design Point .....................................................................
Horsepower .......................................................................
Effluent Ground Storage Tank
Type ..................................................................................
Number .............................................................................
Effective Capacity ............................................................
Diameter ...........................................................................
Height ...............................................................................
High Service Pumps
Type ..................................................................................
Number .............................................................................

Submersible
2
700 gpm @ 40 ft. TDH
20 HP
Domed-Top Circular Pre-Stressed
1
1.25 MG
93 ft.
25 ft.
Self-Priming
2

243
TABLE B1DESIGN CRITERIAContinued
Design Point .....................................................................
Horsepower .......................................................................
Effluent Force Main
Size ...................................................................................
Length ..............................................................................
Material ............................................................................

833 gpm @ 80 ft. TDH

40 HP
10 in.
19,000 LF
PVC

C. Environmental Impact
This project would have significant positive effects on the environment. It would
result in the elimination of a surface water discharge, thereby improving the water
quality of the receiving stream. It would also result in the reduction of groundwater
withdrawals at the generating station, thereby conserving precious groundwater.
The only potential deleterious effect would be that an emergency discharge to the
existing outfall would need to be maintained for those infrequent times that the
generating station was not taking reclaimed water. It is anticipated that the emergency discharge would be needed for less than two weeks per year.
D. Economic Evaluation
An economic evaluation of this project has been conducted, to include estimated
capital costs, operation and maintenance costs, and present worth analysis.
1. Capital Cost
The capital cost for this project has been developed utilizing bid pricing from similar work, manufacturers price quotes, and engineering judgment. All costs presented
are in 2014 U.S. dollars. A construction contingency of 10 percent and non-construction costs of 15 percent will be included. The capital cost for the proposed project
is summarized in Table D1, as follows:

TABLE D1ENGINEERS OPINION OF PROBABLE PROJECT COST

Description

Estimated Cost

a. Mobilization and General Conditions ............................................................................................................

b. Effluent Transfer Pump Station ....................................................................................................................
c. Effluent Storage Tank (1.25 MG) ..................................................................................................................
d. Reuse High Service Pumps ...........................................................................................................................
e. Yard Piping ....................................................................................................................................................
f. Sitework ..........................................................................................................................................................
g. Electrical/Instrumentation .............................................................................................................................
h. 19,000 LF of 10 in. Reuse Main ..................................................................................................................
i. Two (2) Jack & Bore of CSX Railroad ...........................................................................................................
j. Two (2) Directional Drills of 12 in. HDPE .....................................................................................................

$100,000
150,000
750,000
100,000
100,000
50,000
150,000
950,000
100,000
50,000

SubtotalEstimated Construction Cost ..................................................................................................

Construction Contingency (10 percent) ...........................................................................................

2,500,000
250,000

TotalEstimated Construction Cost .......................................................................................................

Estimated NonConstruction Cost ..................................................................................................

2,750,000
412,000

TotalEstimated Capital Cost ..............................................................................................

3,162,000

2. O&M Cost
An annual O&M cost for this project will be developed, assuming the following:
current average daily WWTF flow of 0.25 MGD; power costs of $0.10/kWh; equipment maintenance costs equivalent to 3 percent of equipment capital cost, and; pipe
and tank maintenance costs equivalent to 0.2 percent of capital cost. Labor costs are
assumed to remain the same as existing as this alternative will not require increased staffing. The O&M cost for the proposed project is summarized in Table D
2, as follows:

TABLE D2PROJECTED ANNUAL O&M COSTS

Description

Power ..................................................................................................................................................................

Projected Annual
Cost

$7,100

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TABLE D2PROJECTED ANNUAL O&M COSTSContinued
Description

Projected Annual
Cost

Equipment Maintenance ....................................................................................................................................

Tank & Pipeline Maintenance ............................................................................................................................

7,500
3,400

TotalProjected Annual O&M Cost .....................................................................................................

18,000

3. Present Worth Analysis

A present worth analysis of the alternative will be performed, taking into account
the estimated capital cost, projected O&M cost, and salvage value. The 2013 EPA
discount rate of 4.125 percent will be used in determining the present worth of the
corresponding O&M costs and salvage value of the alternative. A period of analysis
of 20 years will be utilized.
(P/A, 4.125 percent, 20 yrs) = 13.44
(P/F, 4.125 percent, 20 yrs) = 0.446
i. Estimated Capital Cost
$3,162,000
Present Value = ($3,162,000)
ii. Projected O&M Cost
$18,000
Present Value = ($18,000) x 13.44 = ($241,900)
iii. Salvage Value
Piping (50 yrs.) = $1,200,000 x 0.446 x (50 yrs. 20 yrs.)/50 yrs. = $321,100
Structures (30 yrs.) = $825,000 x 0.446 x (30 yrs. 20 yrs.)/30 yrs. =
$122,700
Equipment (20 yrs.) = $425,000 x 0.446 x (20 yrs. 20 yrs.)/20 yrs. = $0
Present Value = $443,800
iv. Total Present Worth
($3,162,000) + ($241,900) + $443,800 = ($2,960,100)

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

TRI-COUNTY WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT

APRIL 11, 2014.

Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.

245
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
MIKE BERRY,
General Manager.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

TRIBAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS NATIONAL

ASSEMBLY

Chairman Leahy, Ranking Member Cochran and members of the subcommittee,

my name is Quinton Roman Nose and I am the Executive Director of the Tribal
Education Departments National Assembly (TEDNA). TEDNA is a national nonprofit membership organization for tribal education agencies/departments (TEAs),
which are executive branch agencies of American Indian and Alaska Native tribal
governments responsible for Tribal education matters. There are an estimated 200
TEAs, located in 32 States, serving over 700,000 American Indian and Alaska Native (Native American) students. TEDNA respectfully requests $2 million to support TEAs in the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
appropriations bill for fiscal year 2015 to conduct much needed Indian education activities. Further, TEDNA supports the Presidents request through his Opportunity,
Growth and Security Initiative for $3 million to be directed toward incentives for
Bureau of Indian Education grant-funded schools, capacity-building and Tribal control of those schools.
AUTHORIZATION FOR FUNDING

Federal funding for TEAs is authorized in the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002,
title X, section 1140 (25 U.S.C. 2020).
JUSTIFICATION FOR FUNDING

Federal education policy is failing Native American students. Native American

students drop out of high school at a higher rate and score lower on achievement
tests than any other student group. The national dropout rate of Native American
students is double that of their non-Indian peers. Likewise, the U.S. Department of
Educations Office of Civil Rights (OCR) March 2014 Data Snapshot recognized
that Native American elementary and secondary students in public schools are disproportionately suspended and expelled. OCR also found that Native American kindergarten students are among those held back a year at nearly twice the rate of
white kindergarten students, and that 9 percent of Native American ninth grade
students repeat ninth grade.
In achievement, Native American 8th grade students are 18 percent more likely
to read or perform in mathematics at a below basic level. Only a quarter of Native
American high school graduates taking the ACT score at the college-ready level
in math and only about one-third score at the college-ready level in reading. A
2013 report issued by the Education Trust pointed out:
Unlike achievement results for every other major ethnic group in the
United States, those for Native [American] students have remained nearly
flat in recent years, and the gaps separating these students from their
white peers have actually widened.1
At the same time, tribal government involvement in the education of Native
American students is severely restricted. Since 1988, Congress has authorized funding specifically to build tribal capacity to directly serve Native students in Bureau
of Indian Education (BIE) schools. However, funds have never been appropriated
to fulfill this crucial need. A similar authorization for tribal capacity building aimed
at public schools on Indian reservations has been funded since fiscal year 2012, resulting in the Department of Educations pioneering State-Tribal Education Partnership Program (STEP). Though very important, STEP only addresses one aspect of
the existing need. While the corresponding funding opportunity for BIE schools has
1 The Education Trust, The State of Education for Native American Students at 3 (August
2013), available at: http://www.edtrust.org/sites/edtrust.org/files/NativeStudentBriefl0.pdf.

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gone unutilized, our Native American students in BIE schools have continued to be
underserved.
TEAs are in a unique position to halt and reverse the negative outcomes for Native students. TEAs have already proven that they are capable of improving Native
American student outcomes. For example, the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, one
of the STEP grantees, has a science, technology, and math program, among many
other education programs, that serves approximately 250 Chickasaw students. Ninety percent of senior students participating in the program enroll in college. Through
the STEP grant, Chickasaw has already put in place the framework to improve student outcomes and attendance. For example, before the co-governance model was in
place, several Native American students were falling through the cracks and being
expelled. Now, the Chickasaw Nation has stepped in to move expelled students into
other alternative high school programs. Through this process, Local Education
Agencies (LEAs) now understand that this is exactly the type of situation that the
Chickasaw Nation TEA can address before the expulsion stage so intervention services can be provided, such as counseling, to students that are at risk. Thus, the
STEP Program put in place a process allowing the TEAs and LEAs to proactively
flag at risk students and provide the necessary intervention services.
The work of the Nez Perce Tribes TEA is another good example. The most current research indicates that Native American academic achievement must include
effective teaching strategies. Also, researchers studying the achievement of Native
American students have found a connection between low achievement and low cultural relevance. The Nez Perce Tribe, another STEP grantee, has made a large inroad to providing teacher training on the integration of cultural pedagogy, tribal
education standards, and common core standards. In addition, technical assistance
is provided by the Nez Perce TEA to their partner LEAs on use of the Native Star
Culture and Language Indicators which address culturally-responsive school leadership, community engagement, and infusion of culture and language into the schools
curriculum and instruction.
The State of Idahos State Education Agency (SEA) acknowledged that it does
not have the expertise to provide training or technical assistance in meeting the
unique educational and cultural needs of Native American students. Nez Perces
STEP grant has provided a platform for the Tribes TEA and the local LEAs and
SEA to work together to improve Native American student performance in this
manner vis-a`-vis the three Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act programs (title I, part A; title II, part A; and School Improvement Grants). Nez Perce
also has a family engagement piece to their STEP grant that recognizes the role of
the family as the first educator and organizes the parents and school staff to work
together to assess parent involvement programs, policies, and practices. The end
goal is to improve the educational experience and college/career readiness of the students.
A final example is The Hoopa Valley Tribe of California, which operates a learning center that works with at risk students. The Hoopa Valley TED identifies K
12 students at risk, pairs the students with mentors, and develops student-learning
plans. Students are tutored in target academic areas and coached in life skills. This
program alone has improved student academic performance by two letter grades in
core academic areas.
These examples of success demonstrate the positive impact tribal involvement has
on Native American students. This type of successful tribal involvement in the education of Native American students should be expanded and replicated in BIE
schools. Congress has identified in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
several areas of focus in meeting this worthy objective. If appropriated by this subcommittee, these funds would be used to facilitate tribal control in all matters relating to Native American education on reservations. More specifically, there are three
areas of particular focus. First, TEAs can use this funding to support early education initiatives and develop culturally relevant curriculum and assessments. Second, increased tribal participation will include TEAs providing coordination, administrative support services and technical assistance to schools and education programs on Indian reservations. This would include maintaining and sharing electronic data regarding Native American students, and implementing programs to increase graduation rates and post-secondary school readiness. This would foster
much-needed cooperation and coordination with entities carrying out education on
Indian reservations. Third, this appropriation would fund the development and enforcement of tribal educational codes, including tribal educational policies and tribal
standards applicable to curriculum, personnel, students, facilities, and support programs. As Congress has already recognized, these three areas are core educational
functions that are most appropriately left to tribes.

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We applaud President Obamas request in his Opportunity, Growth and Security
Initiative that Congress invest in incentivizing schools funded through the Bureau
of Indian Education to introduce reforms that improve student outcomes. TEDNA
supports the Presidents approach to provide incentives to tribally controlled schools
so that they voluntarily adopt certain research-based reforms rather impose mandates and sanctions. Further, TEDNA suggests that this funding be modeled on the
discretionary grants used by the U.S. Department Education to foster competition
among applicants and build tribal capacity, particularly the capacity of tribal educational agencies, to operate schools. At a low cost to taxpayers, such a competition
would bring much-needed reform to many of the tribally controlled schools in the
BIE-funded system, one of the lowest-achieving school systems in the Nation.
Moreover, tribal governments, acting through their TEAs, should have a central
role in a reformed BIE school system. Therefore, the Presidents initiative should
restructure the administration of BIE schools and have TEAs act as school boards
for BIE grant schools. This is the type of administrative and governance reform
TEDNA has encouraged for many years. We believe that TEDNAs request today for
the appropriation of capacity-building dollars complement the Presidents initiative
well.
Investment in TEAs is sound Federal policy. Direct tribal involvement in education eliminates undue bureaucratic barriers and streamlines administration.
Moreover, encouraging and supporting tribal control in education begins to implement the policy of Tribal self-determination in education and further the United
States trust responsibility to Native American students. Thus, this subcommittee
is presented with a unique opportunity to increase tribal involvement and leverage
the expertise of TEAs in educating Native students.
REQUEST

TEDNA respectfully requests $2 million TEAs in the Department of the Interior,

Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill for fiscal year 2015. TEDNA
also supports the Presidents request in the Opportunity, Growth and Security Initiative to foster competition in tribally controlled grant schools funded by the BIE
and we urge Congress to appropriate $3 million for fiscal year 2015 for that purpose.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

THE TRUST

FOR

PUBLIC LAND

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, and distinguished members of the

subcommittee: Thank you very much for the opportunity to submit testimony on behalf of The Trust for Public Land in support of programs under your jurisdiction
for the fiscal year 2015 appropriations process. The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is
a national nonprofit land conservation organization working to protect land for people in communities across the Nation. We are extremely grateful for the support
that you have shown for Federal conservation programs during these challenging
fiscal times. We recognize that the subcommittee will again face enormous challenges in meeting the broad range of priority needs in the Interior and Environment
bill this year. Our work in many States around the country shows that there is tremendous support for conservation and access to recreation at the local, State and
Federal level, and the programs under your jurisdiction play a critical role in bringing those community visions to reality. Thank you for your support.
Federal funding is an absolutely critical part of the land conservation toolbox and
provides manifold benefits to the American people. Given the limited public conservation funding at all levels of government, TPL works to leverage Federal conservation dollars, bringing to bear private philanthropic support as well as State
and local funding to forge solutions to sometimes complex conservation funding challenges. The major programs under your jurisdiction that we count on year in and
year out are the entire suite of Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) programsincluding the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the National Park Service (NPS) and the United States Forest
Service (USFS) acquisitions, NPS State and local grants, the Forest Legacy Program
and the Cooperative Endangered Species Act Fundas well as the United States
Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) North American Wetlands Conservation Act and
the USFS Community Forest Program.
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND

For almost 50 years the Land and Water Conservation Fund has been the cornerstone that sustains our Federal public lands heritage and remains today a compel-

248
ling and urgently needed program. When Congress created LWCF in 1964, it dedicated specific revenues to ensure that funds would be available for annual land conservation and outdoor recreation needs. The major source of these revenues has
been offshore oil and gas development in Federal waters. LWCF does not rely at
all on taxpayer dollars. Instead, revenues generated from energy development and
natural resource depletion are used for the protection of other natural resources
such as parks, open space, and wildlife habitat for the benefit of current and future
generations. We (and, polls show, most of America) believes it is both logical and
necessary that this principleusing a small percentage of annual Outer Continental
Shelf (OCS) receipts (which average over $6 billion) as a conservation offsetbe
fully honored.
Investments in conservation and outdoor recreation make sound economic sense,
too. The Outdoor Industry Association estimates that active outdoor recreation contributes $646 billion annually to the U.S. economy, supports nearly 6.1 million jobs
across the U.S., and generates $39.9 billion in annual national tax revenue.
For these and many other reasons we strongly support the fiscal year 2015 Presidents budget proposal to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900
million, with $350 million from discretionary sources and $550 million in mandatory
funds, for the various component programs funded under LWCF. In the fiscal year
2015 bill, we respectfully request that you allocate at least $350 million in discretionary funding as the budget proposes to support essential community-based conservation. We recognize that the mandatory funding request requires additional legislative action, and that you face significant challenges in addressing the many competing demands covered in your bill. We believe that continued investment in the
entire suite of LWCF programs as proposed in the budget is essential and are ready
to work with the subcommittee to ensure that dollars invested are well spent on our
Nations most urgent needs. We greatly appreciate the key role your subcommittee
plays in ensuring that program dollars are used for high-priority strategic investments.
LWCFs programs bring specific and complementary conservation benefits to the
American public. These key programs are:
FEDERAL LAND ACQUISITIONS

Every year tens of millions of Americans, as well as visitors to our country, visit
our Federal public landsnational parks, forests, wildlife refuges and BLM conservation lands. Strategic inholding and other acquisitions in these Federal areas
through LWCF ensure recreation access and nature education; foster vital economic
growth; protect clean water and other community resources; enhance the incomparable natural and scenic treasures that belong to all Americans; and frequently
resolve complex land-use conflicts and produce management savings. Without adequate funding, the unfortunate alternative often is an irretrievable loss of public use
and enjoyment of these areas and irreversible damage to the resources we all care
about.
This is precisely the choice for numerous outdoor recreation and natural resource
protection projects budgeted in fiscal year 2015, including lands in the San
Bernardino and Tahoe national forests in California, the newly-designated Rio
Grande del Norte National Monument in New Mexico, the Black Hills National Forest in South Dakota, the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire, , and within the
Yakima River Watershed in Washington State. The Trust for Public Land is working in these and other areas identified in the Presidents budget and looks forward
to working with the subcommittee as you consider these critical needs.
At the same time that incompatible development within Federal units is a mounting concern for the public, we have found that many private inholding owners are
open to and quite often eager to find a conservation solution. Faced with uncertainty
about the availability of LWCF dollars, however, many landowners find that they
cannot afford to wait for that win-win outcome. Adequate and timely acquisition of
inholdings through the LWCF is critical to efforts to protect the Nations public
lands heritage when these time-sensitive acquisition opportunities arise. As the subcommittee evaluates the myriad programmatic needs and measures for making programs more efficient for the fiscal year 2015 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill, we look forward to working with you and your staff to ensure that funds
are spent wisely on strategic and urgent conservation priorities.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE/STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE GRANTS

Since 1965, the State and local assistance grant program has provided formula
funds to States and local communities for 43,000 projects that create and expand
State and local parks or improve recreation facilities. This program reaches deep

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into communities across our Nation, supporting citizen-led efforts to conserve places
of local importance and opportunities for close-to-home recreation. As TPL continues
our work with many of these communities to meet these needs, we hope the subcommittee will fully fund the administrations request for stateside grants. We also
support the allocation of LWCF funds to a new nationwide competitive State and
local grants program, which was first funded in the fiscal year 2014 omnibus appropriations bill and is proposed for additional funds in the Presidents fiscal year 2015
budget. This proposal is generating substantial interest in cities and towns across
the Nation and we look forward to working with you and others to make it a success.
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE/URBAN PARK AND RECREATION FUND

The Presidents Budget for fiscal year 2015 proposes $25 million (included in the
mandatory LWCF proposal) to fund the Urban Park and Recreation Recovery Program (UPARR). Funding UPARR in fiscal year 2015 would enable the National
Park Service to issue competitive grants for improved recreational opportunities in
parks and along trails in metropolitan areas throughout the country. From 1978 to
2002, UPARR grants helped bring improvements to parks and playgrounds in 380
communities in 43 States as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Grants have gone to places as diverse as Providence, Rhode Island; San Francisco,
California, Knoxville, Tennessee; Springfield, Missouri; Omaha, Nebraska; and Meridian, Mississippi. Through our Parks for People Program, The Trust for Public
Land works closely with cities to meet a goal of providing safe access to recreation
within a 10 minute walk from home or school. We work with schools and communities to design, fund and care for improved parks and playgrounds. The restoration
of UPARR funding in the fiscal year 2015 Interior and Environment Appropriations
bill would be a sound investment in the health and well-being of our Nations children.
U.S. FOREST SERVICE/FOREST LEGACY PROGRAM

The Forest Legacy Program provides extraordinary assistance to States and localities seeking to preserve important working forests. Since its inception in 1990, the
Forest Legacy Program has protected over 2.3 million acres of forestland and has
leveraged more than the required 25 percent match. For fiscal year 2015, the Presidents budget recommends projects that provide multiple public benefits through forest protectionclean water, wildlife protection, climate change adaptation and mitigation, public access to recreation, economic development and sustainable forestry.
We urge your continued support for sustained investment in this strategic and successful program. Included in the fiscal year 2015 budget proposal are numerous
projects where TPL is working in partnership with the States to protect recreation
access for snowmobilers and hikers, ensure jobs in the woods, buffer important Federal and State conservation areas and provide strategic land conservation that fits
a larger goal. Among these are the programs top priority project in Montana, which
will protect the primary water supply for the community of Whitefish; a 2,085-acre
addition to Camels Hump State Park in the Green Mountains of Vermont; the second-phase of a project protecting an important watershed adjacent to Eureka, California; an 1800-acre property 2 miles from Zion National Park; a 6,700 acre working
forest project on the Olympic Peninsula along Puget Sound; and a working forest
project in Maine that represents 22 percent of the States entire maple syrup production and 4 percent of the entire national output.
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE/COOPERATIVE ENDANGERED SPECIES CONSERVATION
FUND

We are grateful for the subcommittees historic support for U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service grant programs, including the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF), which leverages State and private funds and has protected
threatened and endangered species habitat across the Nation. The Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) land acquisition program within CESCF is critical to communities like Whitefish, Montana where landowners and public wildlife managers are
working together through integrated HCPs to foster species recover and appropriate
economic development. In TPLs work with these and other communities, we have
seen how essential CESCF Federal cost-share dollars are to species conservation
and local economies. In addition, the Recovery Land Acquisition (RLA) program
under CESCF aids species recovery where there is no HCPas, for instance, with
the proposed protection of a ranch along the Lower Deschutes River in Wasco County, Oregon.

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Beyond LWCF, we urge the subcommittee to provide adequate funding to other
conservation programs including:
U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE/NORTH AMERICAN WETLANDS CONSERVATION ACT
(NAWCA)

We respectfully request your support for program funding at the Presidents budget level of $34.1 million in fiscal year 2015. The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) provides much-needed matching grants to carry out wetlands conservation, restoration and enhancement projects. Our recent work through
the NAWCA program will ensure protection of fast-disappearing coastal habitat in
Connecticut and support restoration along the Middle Rio Grande in New Mexico.
This is a highly-leveraged program with a substantial record of success and is another important Federal conservation tool to support critical wetland habitat.
U.S. FOREST SERVICE/COMMUNITY FOREST PROGRAM

Last but not least, we urge your continued support for the Community Forest Program (CFP), which the subcommittee has funded since fiscal year 2010. This program complements existing conservation programs by helping local communities
and tribes identify, purchase, and manage important forestlands that are threatened with development. These locally led efforts can be tailored to the needs of each
community, from timber revenue for local budgets to recreation access and outdoor
education. Every Federal dollar from CFP is evenly matched by funding from State,
local, and private sources. The Forest Service has now approved 13 grants to innovative local and tribal projects in 9 States, and the program has generated significant interest from local entities concerned about the future of their close-to-home
forests. Our successful projects using CFP grants include the Barre Town Forest in
Vermont and the Thurston Hills Community Forest in Oregon. Given the strong interest in community forests from coast to coast, we urge you to include $5 million
in the fiscal year 2015 bill for this innovative conservation tool.
The programs highlighted here are critical to the future of conservation at the
local, State and Federal levels; reflect the continued demand on the part of the
American people for access to outdoor recreation; and help sustain our economy and
reflect the true partnership that exists in Federal conservation efforts. As ever, we
are deeply thankful for the subcommittees recognition of the importance of these
programs and urge you to maintain robust funding for them in the fiscal year 2015
Interior, Environment and Related Agencies bill. Thank you for your help and support, and for your consideration of our requests.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

Hon. SALLY JEWELL, Secretary,

U.S. Department of Interior,
Washington, DC.

TUBA CITY BOARDING SCHOOLGOVERNING BOARD

Hon. KEVIN WASHBURN, Assistant
Secretary,
U.S. Department of Interior,
Washington, DC.

AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION STUDY GROUP TRIBAL CONSULTATION: PROPOSAL TO

REDESIGN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF INTERIORS BUREAU OF INDIAN EDUCATION

Dear Secretary Jewell and Assistant Secretary Washburn: As the Navajo Nation
Local Control Education Governing Board we are very thankful to be given the opportunity to provide additional comments on the Draft Proposal to Redesign the
U.S. Department of Interiors Bureau of Indian Education (Dated: April 17, 2014).
In many respects, we are very supportive of the goals, objectives, and statements
contained in the draft proposal, especially with its emphasis on promoting tribal
control, achieving high performing schools, as well as and increasing and improving
services and support that builds tribal capacity. In line with these goals, the Navajo
Nation reiterates its prior position regarding the American Indian Education Study
Group and expresses strong support for a Navajo Nation State Education Agency,
the Navajo Nations alternative definition of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), and
Navajo Nations Alternative Accountability Workbook. A copy of the Navajo Nations
position (Dated: January 10, 2014) is attached to this letter.
In particular, we strongly support the goals contained in the working draft because
it:
1. Promotes Tribal Control

251
Align BIEs path forward with President Obamas policy of self-determination
for tribes because tribes understand the unique needs of their communities
best.
With a careful transition plan in place, gradually transform BIEs mission
from running schools to serving tribes to conform with the reality that most
BIE schools are now operated by tribes.
2. Achieve High-Performing Schools
Ensure BIE meets its responsibility that all students attending BIE-funded
schools receive a world-class and culturally appropriate education, are prepared for college and careers, and can contribute to their tribe and country.
Provide necessary resources and support (e.g., facilities and human capital) to
schools so that they can meet the demands of 21st century teaching and learning.
3. Increase and Improve Services and Support that Tribal Build Capacity
Scale up best practices in successful tribally controlled schools to other schools.
Support chronically failing schools with adequate support and research-based
interventions, if necessary.
Provide pathways for tribes that wish to take over control of remaining BIEoperated schools by providing technical assistance and guidance on operating
high-achieving schools.
In the December 2011 White House Tribal Nations Conference Progress Report, the Obama administration expressed strong support for a proposal to enhance the role of tribal educational agencies through a new pilot authority,
called the State Tribal Education Partnership (STEP) grant, which would support tribal educational agencies in working closely with public school districts
and schools located on reservations. This pilot authority and grant presently
allows the Navajo Nation to enter into collaborative agreements with State of
New Mexico and two of the largest public school districts serving Native American students in the United States and to assume responsibility for some
State-level functions in administering ESEA programs.
We also agree with key priorities highlighted in the draft proposal because it also
provides for:
World Class Instruction for all BIE Students.Challenge each student to maximize his or her potential and be well-prepared for college, careers and tribal/
global citizenship.
Highly Effective Teachers and Principals.Help tribes to identify, recruit, retain and empower diverse, highly effective teachers and principals to maximize
the highest achievement for every student in all BIE-funded schools.
Agile Organizational Environment.Build a responsive organization that provides the resources, direction and services to tribes so that they can help their
students attain high-levels of student achievement.
Budget that Supports Capacity Building Mission.Develop a budget that is
aligned with and supports BIEs new mission of tribal capacity building and
scaling up best practices.
Comprehensive Supports through Partnerships.Foster parental, community
and organizational partnerships to provide the emotional and social supports
BIE students need in order to be ready to learn.
In line with those goals, we also recommend:
1. In line with identifying, recruiting, retaining highly effective teachers/principals,
and building teacher/principal capacity (human capital) we strongly recommend
that the BIE and other appropriate government agencies to enact a teacher/principal scholarship program that is very similar to the Indian Health Service
(IHS) scholarship program. Ever since the IHS Scholarship Programs creation
in 1977, the program has successfully supported thousands of American Indian
and Alaska Native students in their quest for a health/medical professions degree
leading to a career in Indian health. A scholarship program that is specifically
targeted to identify, recruit, and support teachers, including principals, especially
in hard-to-fill Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) areas,
would significantly help our schools to meet the demand and need for highly effective teachers/principals. Not only would such a scholarship program enable
tribes to build capacity, because scholarship recipients would be committed to
serving several years on the Navajo Nation or in other Native American schools.
2. Changing, amending, or waiving rules, regulations that negatively impact rural
schools such as the regulation [25 C.F.R. 36.11(a)(5)] that limits the number of
days that schools can employ long-term substitute teachers. Because of extreme
remoteness and difficultly hiring highly effective and fully qualified and licensed

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teachers, many of our schools have little to no choice but hire long-term substitute teachers who may need to teach students much longer than the existing
regulation allows. Changing, amending, or waiving this regulation may allow our
schools to provide the continuity in instruction that students need until a fully
qualified and licensed teacher can be hired to fill that position.
3. Any education plan to reform and restructure the BIE must also provide strong
support, including funding, to identify, recruit, and enhance the role and capacity
of highly effective bilingual teachers. There is statistically significant research
that shows that students who are educated in their language and culture perform
better academically, while also reinforcing their self-identity, and preserving
their language and culture. At the moment, many of the existing bilingual teachers who possess strong content knowledge, including the ability to effectively
teach Navajo language and culture, are on the verge of retirement or leaving our
schools, which further complicates attempts by tribes to preserve and maintain
our language and culture. The Navajo Nation has lead the way in many respects,
by working with 3 different States to enact alternative teacher licensing regulations, which presently allows persons who are knowledgeable and competent in
Navajo language and culture to teach in our schools. We have also enacted the
Navajo Nations Five (5) Content Standards (Navajo Language, Culture,
History, Government, ( Character), which can readily be incorporated into many
schools curriculums because it also complements the Common Core State Standards
(CCSS).
4. In light of the recommendations provided in the draft proposal to build tribal
control of education and capacity, we also recommend that the BIE (or other appropriate government entities), to consult and meet with tribes such as the Navajo Nation to conduct an evaluation/assessment of a tribes existing capacity or
provision of funding to accomplish that objective.
As we move forward with redesigning/transforming the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and improving the quality of education that our Navajo/Native American students receive, it is extremely important to remember that we are fighting
for the lives of our children and that we can no longer afford to lose another generation of young people to a failing education system or to continue to make excuses
for failure and low expectations. We must always put the needs of our children and
students first; not adults, special interests, or politics. When we put the needs of
our students first, it will make many of the tough decisions that must inevitably
be made, easier, clearer, and worth the fight. Thank you.
Sincerely,
MARIE B. ACOTHLEY, Tuba City WNA
Board President.
JUANITA BURNS-BEGAY, Vice-President.
SARANA RIGGS, Secretary.
FRANK BILAGODY, Member.
IRVIN BEGAYE, Member.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY COALITION

SUMMARY

The USGS Coalition appreciates the opportunity to provide testimony about the
fiscal year 2015 budget for the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The administrations budget requests $1.073 billion for the USGS. This level represents an increase of $41 million over the fiscal year 2014 level. The request, however, also includes $41 million in cuts to on-going programs and does not include $75 million
in important research and development initiatives that have been identified by the
agency as priorities should funding be available. Thus, the USGS Coalition respectfully requests that Congress work to provide the USGS with $1.189 billion for fiscal
year 2015, which would allow the agency to sustain current efforts and make strategic new investments that will produce the knowledge and decision-support tools
needed by decision-makers across the country.
The USGS is uniquely positioned to provide information and inform responses to
many of the Nations greatest challenges. Few modern problems can be addressed
by a single scientific discipline. The USGS is an agency that has a unique capacity
to deploy truly interdisciplinary teams of experts to gather data, conduct research,
and develop integrated decision support tools that improve ecosystem management,
ensure accurate assessments of our water quality and quantity, reduce risks from
natural and human-induced hazards, deliver timely assessments of mineral and en-

253
ergy resources, and provide emergency responders with accurate geospatial data and
maps.
ABOUT THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY COALITION

The USGS Coalition is an alliance of over 70 organizations united by a commitment to the continued vitality of the United States Geological Survey to provide critical data and services. The Coalition supports increased Federal investment in
USGS programs that underpin responsible natural resource stewardship, improve
resilience to natural and human-induced hazards, and contribute to the long-term
health, security, and prosperity of the Nation.
ESSENTIAL SERVICES FOR THE NATION

Established by Congress as a branch of the Department of the Interior in 1879,

the United States Geological Survey has a national mission that extends beyond the
boundaries of the Nations public lands to positively impact the lives of all Americans. The agency plays a crucial role in protecting the public from natural hazards,
assessing water quality and quantity, providing geospatial data, and conducting the
science necessary to manage our Nations biological, mineral, and energy resources.
Through its offices across the country, the USGS works with partners to provide
high-quality research and data to policymakers, emergency responders, natural resource managers, civil and environmental engineers, educators, and the public. A
few examples of the USGS valuable work are provided below.
The Survey collects scientific information on water availability and quality to inform the public and decision makers about the status of freshwater resources and
how they are changing over time. During the past 130 years, the USGS has collected streamflow data at over 21,000 sites, water-level data at over 1,000,000 wells,
and chemical data at over 338,000 surface-water and groundwater sites. This information is needed to effectively manage freshwatersboth above and below the land
surfacefor domestic, public, agricultural, commercial, industrial, recreational, and
ecological purposes.
The USGS plays an important role in reducing risks from floods, wildfires, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and other natural hazards that
jeopardize human lives and cost billions of dollars in damages every year. Seismic
networks and hazard analysis are used to formulate earthquake probabilities and
to establish building codes. USGS monitors volcanoes and provides warnings about
impending eruptions that are used by aviation officials to prevent planes from flying
into volcanic ash clouds. Data from the USGS network of stream gages enable the
National Weather Service to issue flood and drought warnings. The bureau and its
Federal partners monitor seasonal wildfires and provide maps of current fire locations and the potential spread of fires. USGS research on ecosystem structure informs fire risk forecasts.
USGS assessments of mineral and energy resourcesincluding rare earth elements, coal, oil, unconventional natural gas, and geothermalare essential for making decisions about the Nations future. The Survey identifies the location and quantity of domestic mineral and energy resources, and assesses the economic and environmental effects of resource extraction and use. The agency is mapping domestic
supplies of rare earth elements necessary for widespread deployment of new energy
technologies, which can reduce dependence on foreign oil. The USGS is the sole Federal source of information on mineral potential, production, and consumption.
USGS science plays a critical role in informing sound management of natural resources on Federal and State lands. The USGS conducts research and monitoring
of fish, wildlife, and vegetationdata that informs management decisions by other
Interior bureaus regarding protected species and land use. Ecosystems science is
also used to control invasive species and wildlife diseases that can cause billions of
dollars in economic losses. The Survey provides information for resource managers
as they develop adaptive management strategies for restoration and long-term use
of the Nations natural resources in the face of environmental change.
Research conducted by the USGS is vital to predicting the impacts of land use
and climate change on water resources, wildfires, and ecosystems. The Landsat satellites have collected the largest archive of remotely sensed land data in the world,
allowing for access to current and historical images that are used to assess the impact of natural disasters and monitor global agriculture production. The USGS also
assesses the Nations potential for carbon sequestration. Other Interior bureaus use
USGS research on how climate variability affects fish, wildlife, and ecological processes to inform natural resource management decisions.

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FUNDING

Over the years, Congress has worked in a bipartisan fashion to provide essential
funding to the USGS. These efforts have paid dividends and helped the USGS provide answers to the challenging questions facing decision-makers across the country.
Through careful management and deferring staff travel and training, the USGS
has survived the recent budget cuts resulting from sequestration. Staff training and
participation in scientific meetings, however, are necessary investments that help
USGS maintain its technical capacity. It is through exchanges at scientific meetings
and workshops that new ideas emerge and scientific analyses are shared, challenged
by colleagues, and honed prior to submitting research for publication in peer-reviewed journals. We encourage Congress to work with the USGS to ensure that scientists are able to fully participate in scientific meetings.
As a science agency, much of the USGS budget is dedicated to salaries and equipment that must be maintained and updated to ensure the continuity of data acquisition and that the data gathered are reliable and available for future scientific investigations. We believe that the leadership of the USGS is doing all it can, and has
been for a number of years, to contain costs while continuing to deliver high quality
science. The budget request for fiscal year 2015 includes cuts to scientific support,
which includes information technology and administration and management functions. Although efficiencies can often be found through innovation in these areas,
we encourage Congress to ensure that these cuts do not hinder the provision of services and support that agency personnel require to complete research, gather data,
and provide the information needed by the public for informed decisionmaking.
The USGS has offset some new investments by eliminating a significant number
of full time equivalent positions. Research progress and the communication of research findings to end-users will be slowed or disrupted as a result of the reduction
in staffing. Rebuilding scientific and technical expertise can be challenging. Thus,
the loss of any positions can have long-term implications for USGS programs.
Among the programmatic reductions the scientific community is concerned about
are:
$13.0 million in cuts to Core Science Systems, such as the Bio-Science Data synthesis, Urban Area assessments, National Atlas, and other programs.
$11.3 million in cuts to various water research and monitoring programs.
$4.5 million in cuts to Administrative Services.
$2.5 million in cuts to the National Civil Applications Program.
$1.0 million in cuts to the Coastal Vulnerability program.
$5.4 million in cuts to Fisheries, Wildlife and Environments Research.
$1.9 million in cuts to Energy Research, Oil and Gas Assessments, and Wastewater contaminants research.
We recognize and appreciate that budget conditions remain challenging and the
work before the subcommittee is not easy. Yet, we believe that sustained and strategic new investments in the USGS promise significant long-term benefits. Should
funds be available, we hope that Congress will restore proposed cuts and provide
new funds for research and development priorities that USGS has identified but
lacks resources to pursue. The agency has identified at least $75 million in research
and development opportunities in the areas of (1) energy and mineral development;
(2) climate resilience; (3) landscape scale ecosystem management, restoration and
protection; (4) water resources management; and (5) species protection and health.
CONCLUSION

We recognize the financial challenges facing the Nation, but losing irreplaceable
data can increase costs to society today and in the future. Data not collected and
analyzed today is data lost forever. This is particularly significant for environmental
monitoring systems, where the loss of a years data can limit the scope and reliability of long-term dataset analysis. The USGS Coalition requests that Congress
work to provide $1.189 billion for fiscal year 2015.
The USGS Coalition appreciates the subcommittees past leadership in strengthening the United States Geological Survey. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this request.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

UNITED TRIBES TECHNICAL COLLEGE

For 45 years, with the most basic of funding, United Tribes Technical College
(UTTC) has provided postsecondary career and technical education, job training and
family services to some of the most impoverished, high risk Indian students from
throughout the Nation. Despite such challenges we have consistently had excellent

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retention and placement rates and are a fully accredited institution. We are proud
to be equipping our students to take part in the new energy economy in North Dakota and to be part of building a strong middle class in Indian country by training
the next generation of law enforcement officers, educators, medical technicians and
Indianpreneurs. We are governed by the five tribes located wholly or in part in
North Dakota. We are not part of the North Dakota State college system and do
not have a tax base or State-appropriated funds on which to rely. The requests of
the UTTC Board for the fiscal year 2015 Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)/Bureau
of Indian Affairs (BIA) are:
$6.8 million in BIE funding for our Indian Self-Determination Act contract
which is in the Tribal Technical Colleges BIE line item and is $2.5 million over
the administrations request for UTTC.
One-time BIE funding to forward fund United Tribes Technical College and the
few other tribal colleges who are not forward funded.
Congressional support for a tribally administered law enforcement training center at UTTC and/or more involvement in law enforcement training initiatives.
Base Funding.UTTC administers its BIE funding under an Indian Self-Determination Act agreement, and has done so for 37 years. BIE funds requested above
the fiscal year 2014 level are needed to: (1) maintain 100-year-old education buildings and 50-year-old housing stock for students; (2) upgrade technology capabilities;
(3) provide adequate salaries for faculty and staff who are in the bottom quartile
of pay for comparable positions elsewhere; and (4) fund program and curriculum improvements.
We appreciate that the administration is requesting a $200,700 increase for UTTC
for a total of $4,564,000 but our need is so much more than that. We request that
the UTTC portion of the Tribal Technical Colleges line item be $6.8 million and that
the total line item of Tribal Technical Colleges be at least $11 million.
Acquisition of additional base funding is critical as UTTC has significantly increased its number of students within the past 10 years while actual base funding
for educational services, including Carl Perkins Act funding, have not increased
commensurately. Our BIE funding provides a base level of support while allowing
us to compete for desperately needed discretionary contracts and grants. Very little
of the other funds we receive may be used for core career and technical educational
programs; they are competitive, often one-time supplemental funds which help us
provide support services but cannot replace core operational funding.
We highlight several relatively recent updates of our curricula to meet job market
needs: The ramifications of the North Dakota Bakken oil boom are seen throughout
the State. We saw the need for more certified welders in relation to the oil boom
and so expanded our certified welding program. We are now able to train students
for good paying, in-demand welding jobs. Similarly, our online medical transcription
program was designed to meet the growing need for certified medical support staff.
Other courses reflect new emphasis on energy auditing and Geographic Information
System Technology. And we recently opened a distance learning center in Rapid
City where there are some 16,000 American Indians in the area. We are also working toward the establishment of an American Indian Specialized Health Care Training Clinic.
Forward Funding.We have wanted BIE forward funding for some time and the
experience these past several years with the continuing resolutions, sequestration
and inexcusably slow and insufficient allocation of funds really brings home this
issue.
There was a glitch in the fiscal year 2010 appropriations process which resulted
in UTTC (and Navajo Technical University (NTU)) not receiving BIE forward funding. There is authority for forward funding for tribal colleges under the Tribally
Controlled Colleges and Universities Act, 25 U.S.C. 1810(b)(1) and (2). This authority applies to all colleges funded under that act, including UTTC and NTU.
When the administration requested $50 million for forward funding its fiscal year
2010 budget, they asked for it under the line item of tribally controlled colleges and
universitiesthat line item includes 27 tribally controlled colleges. However, we
are funded under the line item of tribal technical colleges and Haskell, Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute (SIPI), and the Institute of American Indian
Arts (IAIA) are funded under other authorities, and thus when Congress provided
the requested $50 million for forward funding, UTTC and NTU, Haskell, SIPI, and
the IAIA were left out. The American Indian Higher Education Consortium has estimated $22 million is needed to forward fund these schools. This does not increase
the Federal budget over the long run. It simply provides funds for vital education
programs before the start of each school year, which is critically important when
appropriations are delayed and the Government is funded under continuing resolutions.

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The manner of distribution of fiscal years 2013 and 2014 BIE funds has been a
disaster. Between having funding provided via continuing resolutions and held back
due to the prospects of a sequestration, planning has been very difficult. Six months
into fiscal year 2013 we had been allocated only 37 percent of our BIE funding and
in the current (fiscal year 2014) year only about 25 percent of funds were allocated
in the first 6 months. The unprecedented uncertainty in terms of timing and
amount of funding has taken a toll. New faculty feel vulnerable because of the appropriations situation, and prospective candidates are reluctant to accept positions
due to the same uncertainty. We have significantly reduced off-campus professional
development activities for faculty, and held back on upgrading technology resources
for our faculty and students.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT UNITED TRIBES TECHNICAL COLLEGE

We have:
Renewed unrestricted accreditation from the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, for July 2011 through 2021, with authority to offer all of our
full programs online. We have 23 associate degree programs, 19 certificate and
3 bachelor degree programs (Criminal Justice; Elementary Education; Business
Administration). Six courses are offered online.
Services including a Child Development Center, family literacy program,
wellness center, area transportation, K8 elementary school, tutoring, counseling, family and single student housing, and campus security.
A projected return on Federal investment of 201 (2005 study).
A semester retention rate of 85 percent and a graduate placement rate of 77
percent. Over 45 percent of our graduates move on to 4-year or advanced degree
institutions.
Students from 75 tribes; 85 percent of our undergraduate students receive Pell
grants.
An unduplicated count of undergraduate degree-seeking students and continuing education students of 1,391.
A dual-enrollment program targeting junior and senior high school students,
providing them an introduction to college life and offering high school and college credits.
A critical role in the regional economy. Our presence brings at least $34 million
annually to the economy of the Bismarck region. A North Dakota State University study reports that the five tribal colleges in North Dakota made a direct
and secondary economic contribution to the State of $181,933,000 in 2012.
A Northern Plains Indian Law Enforcement Academy.We ask Congress to seriously look at the problem of addressing crime in Indian country with an eye toward
the establishment of a campus-based academy for training of law enforcement officers in the Northern Plains area of Indian country. There are cultural and legal reasons why such training should be tribally directed in order to be appropriate for the
realities of tribal communities. With the advent of expanded tribal authorities under
the Tribal Law and Order Act and the Violence Against Women Act, 2013, the need
has grown. State and national training resources would have an important role in
this new endeavor.
Our Criminal Justice program offers 2- and 4-year degrees, and prepares graduates for employment as Federal, State or tribal law enforcement, correction, parole
and probation, and transportation safety officers; victim advocates; U.S. Customs,
Homeland Security, and Military Investigative services; and private security agents.
We point out that the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act
contains requirements regarding background checks and character investigations.
We want to expand our endeavors to help meet law enforcement needs in Indian
country. Given our Criminal Justice program, our location and our campus resources, we propose the establishment of a Northern Plains Indian Law Enforcement Academy.
Basic law enforcement training is currently provided through the BIAs Indian Police Academy in Artesia, New Mexico. The BIA Academy can train only three classes
of 50 persons annually. The BIA is depending on the basic training provided by
State academies to supplement what is provided at Artesia. We firmly believe UTTC
is well positioned with regard to providing both basic and supplemental law enforcement training. An academy at UTTC would allow tribal people in the Great Plains
and other nearby regions a more affordable choice of training locations, minimizing
the distance and long separation of trainees from their families.
The fiscal year 2015 Indian Affairs budget justification (p. IAPSJ12) notes that
training initiatives for the Indian police academy includes developing a pre-academy
training program for candidates prior to their attending the academy; developing a

257
mid-level manager training program; and establishing an online distance learning
program for recertification, among other things. These are things that UTTC could
do as part of an academy at UTTC or in partnership with the Indian Police Academy.
In short, the BIA should be utilizing and enhancing the resources of UTTC to
make a real difference in the law enforcement capability in Indian country. We can
offer college credit to trainees, and our facilities include the use of a state-of-theart crime scene simulator. Maintaining safe communities is a critical component of
economic development for our tribal nations, and local control of law enforcement
training resources is a key part of that effort.
The Duplication or Overlapping Issue.As you know, in March 2011 the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued two reports regarding Federal programs
which may have similar or overlapping services or objectives (GAO11474R and
GAO11318SP). Funding from the BIE and the Department of Educations Carl
Perkins Act for Tribally Controlled Postsecondary Career and Technical Education
were among the programs listed in the reports. The full GAO report did not recommend defunding these programs; rather, it posed the possibility of consolidation
of these programs to save administrative costs. We are not in disagreement about
possible consolidation of our funding sources, as long as program funds are not cut.
BIE funds represent over half of UTTCs core operating budget. The Perkins funds
supplement, but do not duplicate, the BIE funds. It takes both sources of funding
to frugally maintain the institution. In fact, even these combined sources do not provide the resources necessary to operate and maintain the college. We actively seek
alternative funding to assist with academic programming, deferred maintenance,
and scholarship assistance, among other things. The need for postsecondary career
and technical education in Indian country is so great and the funding so small, that
there is little chance for duplicative funding.
There are only two institutions targeting American Indian/Alaska Native career
and technical education and training at the postsecondary levelUTTC and NTU.
Combined, these institutions received less than $15 million in fiscal year 2014 Federal operational funds ($7.7 million from Perkins; $7 million from the BIE). That
is not an excessive amount for two campus-based institutions who offer a broad (and
expanding) array of programs geared toward the educational and cultural needs of
their students and who teach job-producing skills.
Closing.UTTC offers services that are catered to the needs of our students,
many of whom are first generation college attendees and many of whom come to
us needing remedial education and services. Although BIE and Perkins funds do not
pay for remedial education, we make this investment through other sources to ensure our students succeed at the postsecondary level. Thank you for your consideration of our requests.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

UTAH WATER USERS ASSOCIATION

APRIL 3, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item enti-

258
tled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
CARLY B. BURTON,
Executive Director.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

UTE MOUNTAIN UTE TRIBE

APRIL 3, 2014.
Hon. JACK REED, Chairman,
Hon. LISA MURKOWSKI, Ranking Member,
Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman Reed and Senator Murkowski: I am requesting your support for
fiscal year 2015 appropriations to the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for the Upper
Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program and the San Juan River Basin
Recovery Implementation Program consistent with the Presidents recommended
budget. I request that the subcommittee:
Appropriate $706,300 in Conservation and Restoration funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Ecological Services Activity; Conservation and Restoration Subactivity within the $124,253,000 item entitled Conservation and Restoration) to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to allow FWS for fiscal
year 2015 to continue its essential participation in the Upper Colorado River
Endangered Fish Recovery Program.
Appropriate $200,000 in FWS Conservation and Restoration funds for the San
Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program to meet expenses incurred
by FWSs Region 2 in managing the San Juan Programs diverse recovery activities.
Appropriate $485,800 in operation and maintenance funds (Resource Management Appropriation; Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Conservation Activity; National Fish Hatchery Operations Subactivity; within the $48,617,000 item entitled National Fish Hatchery System Operations) for endangered fish propagation and hatchery activities at the FWS Ouray National Fish Hatchery. Operation of this facility is integral to the Upper Colorado Recovery Programs stocking program.
I request the subcommittees assistance in assuring fiscal year 2015 funding to
allow the FWS to continue its financial and personnel participation in these two vitally important recovery programs. I recognize and appreciate that the past support
and assistance of your subcommittee has greatly facilitated the success of these ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
MANUEL HEART,
Tribal Chairman.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF

SCOTT A. VERHINES, P.E.

SUMMARY

This statement is submitted in support of fiscal year 2015 appropriations for Colorado River Basin salinity control activities of the Bureau of Land Management. I
urge that at least $5,200,000 be appropriated for the Bureau of Land Management
within the Soil, Water, and Air Program for general water quality improvement efforts in the Colorado River Basin, and an additional $1,500,000 be appropriated specifically for salinity control related projects and studies.

259
STATEMENT

The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum (Forum) is comprised of representatives of the seven Colorado River Basin States appointed by the respective
Governors of the States. The Forum has examined the features needed to control
the salinity of the Colorado River. These include activities by the States, the Bureau
of Reclamation, the Department of Agriculture, and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The Salinity Control Program has been adopted by the seven Colorado
River Basin States and approved by the Environmental Protection Agency as a part
of each States water quality standards.
About 75 percent of the land in the Colorado River Basin is owned, administered
or held in trust by the Federal Government. The BLM is the largest land manager
in the Colorado River Basin, and manages public lands that are heavily laden with
naturally occurring salt. When salt-laden soils erode, the salts dissolve and enter
the river system, affecting the quality of water used from the Colorado River by the
Lower Basin States and Mexico.
I support past Federal legislation that declared that the Federal Government has
a major and important responsibility with respect to controlling salt discharge from
public lands. Congress has charged the Federal agencies to proceed with programs
to control the salinity of the Colorado River Basin with a strong mandate to seek
out the most cost-effective solutions. The BLMs rangeland improvement programs
are some of the most cost-effective salinity control measures available. In addition,
these programs are environmentally acceptable and control erosion, increase grazing
opportunities, produce dependable stream run-off and enhance wildlife habitat.
The water quality standards adopted by the Colorado River Basin States contain
a plan of implementation that includes BLM participation to implement cost effective measures of salinity control. BLM participation in the salinity control program
is critical and essential to actively pursue the identification, implementation and
quantification of cost effective salinity control measures on public lands.
Bureau of Reclamation studies show that quantified damages from Colorado River
salinity to United States water users are about $376 million per year. Modeling by
Reclamation indicates that these quantified damages would increase to $577 million
per year by 2030 if the Salinity Control Program was not continued. Unquantified
damages already increase the total damages significantly.
Control of salinity is necessary for the Basin States, including New Mexico, to
continue to develop their compact-apportioned waters of the Colorado River. The
Basin States are proceeding with an independent program to control salt discharges
to the Colorado River, in addition to cost sharing with Bureau of Reclamation and
Department of Agriculture salinity control programs. It is important that the BLM
pursue salinity control projects within its jurisdiction to maintain the cost effectiveness of the program and the timely implementation of salinity control projects that
will help avoid unnecessary damages in the United States and Mexico.
At the urging of the Basin States, the BLM created a position to coordinate its
activities among the BLM State offices and other Federal agencies involved in implementation of the salinity control program. The BLMs Budget Justification documents have stated that BLM continues to implement on-the-ground projects, evaluate progress in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation and the Department of
Agriculture, and report salt retention measures to implement and maintain salinity
control measures of the Federal salinity control program in the Colorado River
Basin. The BLM is to be commended for its commitment to cooperate and coordinate
with the Basin States and other Federal agencies. The Basin States and I are
pleased with the BLM administrations responsiveness in addressing the need for
renewed emphasis on its efforts to control salinity sources and to comply with BLM
responsibilities pursuant to the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act, as
amended.
To continue these efforts, I request the appropriation of at least $5.2 million in
fiscal year 2015 for general water quality improvement efforts in the Colorado River
Basin by the BLM within the Soil, Water, and Air Program, and that an additional
$1.5 million be appropriated specifically for salinity control related projects and
studies. I appreciate consideration of these requests. I fully support the statement
of the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Forum submitted by Don Barnett, the
Forums Executive Director, in request of appropriations for BLM for Colorado River
salinity control activities.
SCOTT A. VERHINES, P.E.
New Mexico State Engineer
Secretary, New Mexico Interstate
Stream Commission

260
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

WESTERN GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION

Mr. Chairman and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity
to submit testimony on behalf of the Western Governors Association (WGA). My
name is James D. Ogsbury and I am the Executive Director of the WGA. WGA is
an independent, non-partisan organization representing the Governors of 19 Western States and 3 U.S.-flag islands. We are pleased to have this opportunity to comment on the appropriations and activities of the Bureau of Land Management, U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service and Environmental Protection Agency.
Western Governors recognize that certain agencies within this subcommittees jurisdiction are especially impactful to the West. These Federal agencies have rich potential to supplement State efforts or impinge on State authority. They can exercise
vital leadership or they can interfere with well-managed State activities. Accordingly, it is critical that State and Federal agencies develop and maintain positive
and cooperative working relationships. Western Governors believe that such cooperation is only possible when States are regarded as full and equal partners of
the Federal Government in the development and execution of programs for which
both have responsibility.
As you consider appropriations and policy directives for Federal agencies, Western
Governors urge you to take cognizance of States authority in resource management
and their potential to enhance the delivery of government services and protections
to our citizens. Western Governors are strong and pragmatic chief executives, committed to judicious exercise of their power within constitutional and practical constraints. The following requests and recommendations are thematically related in
that they commonly call for greater recognition of State authority and better utilization of State capabilities by the Federal Government.
With respect to funding levels of appropriated programs, WGA recommends the
enactment and full funding of a permanent and stable funding mechanism for the
Payment in Lieu of Taxes program administered by the Department of Interior. As
you know, these appropriations do not represent a gift to local jurisdictions; rather
they represent important (if inadequate) compensation for the disproportionate acreage of non-taxable Federal lands in the West. Similarly, continued funding of the
Secure Rural Schools program will help compensate communities whose timber industries have been negatively impacted by actions and acquisitions of the Federal
Government.
Western States are investing enormous amounts of time, money and manpower
in species conservation. It is only appropriate that Federal agencies likewise commit
sufficient resources for species protection, particularly on Federal lands. If Federal
lands are inadequately managed, no amount of effort on State and private property
will be sufficient to assure species success. Federal agencies should demonstrate
their commitment to species preservation and recovery by committing adequate
funding for conservation efforts on Federal lands.
Part of the Federal commitment to species conservation involves financial support
for species management by State agencies through the State and Tribal Wildlife
Grant program. Because State responsibilities for species conservation are increasing in number and complexity, the subcommittee is urged to reject the $8.7 million
reduction to this program proposed by the administration.
The subcommittee is well informed regarding the pressing problem of fire borrowing, pursuant to which resources necessary for the reduction of wildfire threats
are transferred to emergency firefighting activities, perpetuating a cycle of high fire
risk and elevated emergency expenditures. Be advised that WGA is on record as
supporting legislation that would solve the budgetary issue of fire borrowing by creating a funding structure similar to that used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in its response to natural disasters.
During last years Government shutdown, certain national parks were kept open
through the initiative of States which undertook responsibilities of park management. The subcommittee is encouraged to provide the resources necessary to compensate those States for the costs they incurred in shouldering a Federal obligation.
WGA understands that this subcommittee is as interested in how funds are spent
as it is in how much money agencies spend. The following recommendations are intended to help ensure that the taxpayer realizes a better return on the investment
of limited discretionary resources. This goal will be more readily achieved to the extent that Federal agencies better leverage State authority, resources and expertise.
Last year this subcommittee included language in its report directing Federal
land managers to use State fish and wildlife data and analyses as sources to inform
land use, land planning and related natural resource decisions. Federal and State
agencies need data-driven science, mapping and analyses to effectively manage wild-

261
life species and their habitat. States possess constitutional responsibilities for wildlife management, as well as intimate knowledge of wildlife habitat and resources.
In addition, they often generate the best available wildlife science. The use of State
science should be more effectively utilized to both reduce total costs and increase
the efficacy of Federal wildlife management efforts. Accordingly, the subcommittee
is encouraged to reiterate and strengthen its report language regarding this issue
for fiscal year 2015.
Western Governors believe that States should be full and equal partners in the
implementation of the Endangered Species Act and should have the opportunity to
participate in pre-listing and post-listing ESA decisions. The ESA is premised on a
strong State-Federal partnership. Section 6(a) of the ESA states that, In carrying
out the program authorized by the Act, the Secretary shall cooperate to the maximum extent practicable with the States. WGA submits that such cooperation
should include partnership with States in the establishment of quantifiable species
recovery goals, as well as in the design and implementation of recovery plans.
It is axiomatic that ESA listing decisions have dramatic impacts on vital State
interests. Consequently, States should have the right to intervene in proceedings regarding the ESA. The subcommittee is urged to support the legal standing of States
to participate in administrative and judicial actions involving ESA that, by their nature, implicate State authority and resources.
Several Federal statutesincluding the Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Actvest the States with the role of co-regulator
with the Environmental Protection Agency. That role would be significantly enhanced by greater State representation on the Science Advisory Board (SAB), on
which the agency relies to provide the scientific underpinnings of regulatory decisions.
The SAB was established by the Environmental Research, Development, and
Demonstration Authorization Act of 1978 in accordance with the Federal Advisory
Committee Act of 1972 (FACA) and has a broad mandate to advise EPA on scientific, technological, and social and economic issues. The SAB Charter defines the
SAB as a scientific and technical advisory committee. Sections 5(b)(2) and 5(c) of
FACA require the membership of an advisory committee to be fairly balanced in
terms of points of view represented and the functions to be performed.
Despite the foregoing mandates and the tremendous value that would be added
to SAB processes by State participation, States are woefully and demonstrably
under-represented on the SAB, as well as on its standing and ad hoc committees.
States are equipped and prepared to contribute their regulatory expertise, as well
as their scientific resources and data, to SAB deliberations. Consequently, the subcommittee is urged to ensure that EPA achieves more balanced SAB representation,
to include State participation that constitutes no less than 10 percent of the membership of SAB committees, subcommittees and subject matter panels.
On March 25, the administration unveiled a proposed rule of the Environmental
Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intended to clarify the jurisdictional reach of the Clean Water Act. Many States have indicated concern that
the proposed rule significantly expands the definition of waters of the United
States and could impinge on State authority over the regulation of waters within
their borders. WGA is concerned that States were insufficiently consulted in the development of this proposal and played no role in the creation of the rule, which has
such major implications for States.
Congress intended that the States and EPA would implement the CWA in partnership, delegating authority to the States to administer the law as co-regulators
with EPA. Accordingly, WGA encourages congressional direction to EPA to engage
the States in the creation of rulemaking, guidance, or studies that threaten to redefine the roles and jurisdiction of the States. State water managers should have a
robust and meaningful voice in the development of any rule regarding the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act or similar statutes.
Solving many of the Wests challenges will require a broad view of the interrelated nature of natural resource problems. For example, Federal underinvestment
in the eradication of invasive species (like cheatgrass) and in the active management of national forests can result in increased severity of wildfires. This greater
wildfire threat in turn poses greater peril to the crucial of habitat of species (like
the greater sage grouse) that States are working diligently to conserve.
Western Governors appreciate the enormity of your job, as well as your commitment to the provision of cost-effective government services. The foregoing recommendations are offered in a spirit of cooperation and respect, and WGA is prepared to assist you as appropriate as you discharge your critical and challenging responsibilities.
Thank you for your consideration.

262
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE WESTERN STATES WATER

AMERICAN RIGHTS FUND

COUNCIL

AND

NATIVE

I. INTRODUCTION

The Western States Water Council (WSWC) and the Native American Rights
Fund (NARF) submit the following joint testimony in support of adequate funding
for the Secretary of the Interiors Indian Water Rights Office (SIWRO) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to carry out their responsibilities in support of Indian
water rights settlements.1 This testimony is based on WSWC Policy Resolution
#336.2
For over 30 years, the WSWC and NARF have worked together to support the
negotiated resolution of Indian water rights claims. Our organizations believe there
is a need to quantify Indian water rights, that negotiated settlements are preferable
to litigation as a means of quantifying those rights, and that the Federal Government should encourage and facilitate settlements. As discussed below, the SIWRO
and the BIA play a key role in the settlement process, and Congress should ensure
they receive sufficient funding to carry out their settlement efforts.
II. PRIOR APPROPRIATION AND INDIAN WATER RIGHT CLAIMS

The doctrine of prior appropriation governs the allocation of water in most Western States. Under this system, the first parties to physically divert and put water
to a beneficial use have priority over subsequent water users. Thus, senior water
right holders with earlier priority dates (the date the water was first put to beneficial use) can seek curtailment of uses with junior priority dates in times of shortage.
Most non-Indian water development in the West occurred after the Federal Government finalized treaties and executive orders to establish reservations for tribes,
and after Congress severed land and water rights in the West and directed that
water rights be obtained under State law. In addition, most tribal treaties and executive orders creating Indian reservations did not specify the tribes water rights.
The U.S. Supreme Court addressed the resulting conflict in Winters v. United
States, 207 U.S. 564 (1908), finding that tribal treaties and executive orders
impliedly reserved water rights necessary to meet the purpose(s) of a tribes reservation. These reserved rights differ from State-issued water rights because they: (1)
arise independently of beneficial use; (2) are not limited by beneficial use; (3) are
measured by present and future supplies needed to fulfill the reservations purpose(s) instead of past uses; and (4) have priority dates that correspond to the date
the tribes reservation was established.
III. THE NEED TO RESOLVE TRIBAL WATER RIGHTS CLAIMS

Resolving Winters rights claims is critical for Western States because tribal rights
typically have priority dates that are senior to non-Indian uses, and therefore have
the potential to displace established State-issued rights. This is especially problematic where tribal rights pertain to river systems that are fully appropriated by nonIndian users. The un-quantified nature of many tribal rights creates great uncertainty with regard to existing State-based uses and can impede local, State, and regional economic development. As a result, quantifying tribal water right claims is
essential for Western States to address increasing water demands related to the
Wests growing population, and to allocate water supplies that continually change
and are often scarce due to drought, reduced snowpacks, and other factors.
At the same time, tribes often lack the resources to develop their water rights.
This lack of a reliable water supply and related infrastructure throughout Indian
Country sometimes prevents tribes from protecting the health, welfare, and safety
of their communities. For example, over 40 percent of tribal members in the Navajo
Nation haul water for domestic use. This lack of potable water has caused various
1 The WSWC is a government entity created by the Western Governors, which advises the
Governors of 18 Western States on water policy matters and is affiliated with the Western Governors Association. NARF is a non-profit 501c(3) organization that provides legal representation
and technical assistance to Indian tribes, organizations and individuals nationwidea constituency that often lacks access to the justice system.
2 Available at: http://www.westgov.org/wswc/336%20indian%20water%20rights%20settlements
%207oct2011.pdf.

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illnesses.3 Members of the Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas, the Chippewa Cree Tribe of
Montana, and others also haul water for basic domestic needs.4
The absence of adequate and reliable potable water supplies also contributes to
unemployment, poverty, and mortality rates on reservations that are much higher
than those of neighboring non-Indian communities. In California, the lack of an adequate water supply has prevented the Tule River Tribe from providing fire protection, housing, and economic opportunities to tribal members. The tribe also has unemployment and mortality rates that are 50 percent higher than Tulare County as
a whole and has been unable to act on hundreds of housing applications.5
Settlements are the preferred manner of resolving tribal water rights claims because they allow States and tribes to address these issues in ways that are not
available through litigation. Specifically, settlements: (1) enable tribes to turn quantified rights into wet water, while litigation typically provides tribes with paper
rights only; (2) allow tribes and non-Indian parties to craft mutually-beneficial solutions tailored to their specific needs; (3) are often less costly and time-consuming
than litigation, which can last for decades and be extremely expensive for all parties, including the Federal Government; (4) give States and tribes control over the
resolution of water rights claims; and (5) build positive relationships between
States, tribes, and the Federal Government, which are essential because water is
a shared resource that all parties must cooperatively manage after adjudication.
For example, the Federal Government holds Indian water rights in trust for the
tribes and has a fiduciary duty to protect tribal water rights. Because the Federal
Government has not always protected tribal water rights, tribes often have significant breach of trust claims against the United States. At the same time, many tribal
water rights claims in the arid West involve fully-appropriated stream systems. To
address these issues, tribes will often waive their breach of trust claims against the
Federal Government as well as a portion of their claimed water rights in consideration for Federal funding to build needed drinking water infrastructure, water supply projects, and tribal fishery restoration projects. These projects generally enable
tribal and non-tribal water users to use existing water supplies more efficiently and
advantageously and do not take water from existing non-Indian water users. Moreover, these types of mutually-acceptable outcomes are simply not available through
litigation.
IV. THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN SETTLEMENTS

The Federal Government is joined in all water rights adjudications involving

tribes because it holds the tribes rights in trust. This means that it has a fiduciary
duty to help tribes resolve their rights and ensure that settlements are funded and
implemented, in addition to its obligation to protect tribal water rights. It also
means that Congress and the President must approve each settlement.
The Federal Government has long supported a policy of resolving Indian water
rights claims through negotiation rather than litigation. To this end, the Department of the Interiors Indian Water Rights Settlement Program facilitates Federal
involvement in the settlement process. The SIWRO leads this program in consultation with Interiors Officer of the Solicitor, facilitating inter-agency participation and
cooperation needed to achieve and implement comprehensive settlements.
In particular, the SIWRO coordinates and supports Federal settlement activities
through 38 Federal assessment, negotiation, and implementation teams that are
working throughout the West. These teams consist of representatives from agencies
and bureaus within Interior, including the BIA, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Solicitors Office, the Fish and Wildlife Service, as well as the Department of Justice
and other Federal departments. These teams also provide a unified Federal voice
that helps further the settlement process, a matter of crucial importance for the
States as well. However, the legitimate need for these teams far outstrips the number of teams available.
3 Concerning S. 1771Northwest New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act: Hearing on S. 1771
Before the S. Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources, 110th Cong. 8 (2007) (statement of Joe
Shirley, Jr., President, Navajo Nation).
4 Testimony of John Echohawk on behalf of the Native American Rights Fund: Oversight
Hearing on Indian Water Rights Settlements Before the Subcomm. on Water and Power of the
H. Comm. on Natural Resources, 110th Cong. 78 (2008) (statement of John Echohawk, Executive Director, NARF) [hereinafter Echohawk Testimony].
5 In Support of S. 789, the Tule River Tribe Water Development Act: Hearing to Receive Testimony on S. 637, S. 789, S. 1080, and S. 1453 Before the Subcomm. on Water and Power of the
S. Comm. on Energy and Natural Resources, 111th Cong. 7 (2009) (statement of Ryan Garfield,
Chairman, Tule River Tribe); Echohawk Testimony, supra note 6, at 7.

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Furthermore, Interior and its agencies and bureaus provide critical monetary, personnel, and technical support that tribes need to effectively participate in the settlement process. As part of these efforts, the BIA provides technical assistance to
tribes and coordinates the process of soliciting water-related funding proposals from
tribes. It also identifies funding needs for studies required in ongoing Indian water
rights litigation and negotiations. For instance, the BIAs Water Rights Negotiation/
Litigation Program provides necessary documentation, technical studies, and other
materials needed for the United States to further the negotiation of tribal water
right claims.
Appropriating insufficient funds for these purposes hinders the resolution of tribal
water right claims. Therefore, Congress should ensure that the SIWRO and the BIA
receive adequate appropriations to carry out their responsibilities in support of Interiors water rights settlement program.
V. THE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT SUPPORTING SETTLEMENT EFFORTS

Tribes require the resources that the SIWRO and the BIA provide to participate
effectively in the settlement process. Failure to provide adequate appropriations for
these programs could postpone the negotiation and implementation of Indian water
rights settlements. Ultimately, this makes the resolution of many tribal water rights
claims more expensive for the Federal Government in the long-run because increasing water demands, decreasing water supplies, and other factors will only increase
the costs of resolving these claims.
VI. CONCLUSION

The United States has a trust obligation to the tribes that includes ensuring that
they can participate in the settlement process. Failure to provide sufficient funding
to fulfill this obligation will only increase Federal costs, perpetuate hardships to
tribes, and prolong resolution of conflicts between reserved water rights and Statecreated water rights. This, in turn, could potentially disrupt established economies
and hinder effective State and regional water planning and development.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

WILDERNESS LAND TRUST

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski and members of the subcommittee,

my name is Reid Haughey and I am the president of the Wilderness Land Trust.
We are a small not-for-profit organization focused on protecting designated wilderness. To do this, we work in partnership with landowners who own private property
within designated and proposed wilderness areas and the agencies that manage
these areas. We acquire properties from willing sellers with the intent to transfer
ownership to the United States. My testimony focuses on a very small portion of
the Land and Water Conservation Fundfunding for the Inholding Acquisition Accounts for the four land management agencies. Continued modest funding of the
Inholding Accounts is vital to the success of securing and preserving wilderness already designated by Congress, while treating private landowners within these areas
fairly.
The management of human development activities in wilderness is expensive for
the agencies. The potential resource damage to the protected lands and waters is
enormous. By contrast, the cost of acquiring these properties when they are offered
for sale is relatively small. That is why it is so important to continue the modest
appropriations needed for the inholding acquisition program.
As we approach the 2014 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act, I am before you
today to thank you for funding the Inholdings Accounts in fiscal year 2014 and to
ask for that support once again. An appropriation of between $3 and 5 million to
each of the land management agencies, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land
Management, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service, is sufficient to enable the agencies to acquire high priority inholdings from willing sellers.
Support for these accounts:
Saves money by eliminating management inefficiencies that frequently exceed
the cost of acquisition;
Helps private landowners within federally designated wilderness and other conservation areas;
Allows the agencies to act when opportunities occur to acquire inholdings, often
only once a generation; and
Completes designated wilderness areas, removing threats from incompatible
and harmful development within their boundaries.

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We are not asking Congress to undertake a new acquisition program or to significantly increase current appropriation levels. As 2014 is the 50th Anniversary of The
Wilderness Act, we ask Congress to continue its 50-year commitment to complete
the wilderness areas it has designated, and to provide private landowners who wish
to sell the opportunity to transfer their land within those wilderness areas to public
ownership by prioritizing the use of the inholding accounts for the acquisition of
inholdings within and adjacent to designated wilderness areas. Focusing the
inholding accounts on designated wilderness and funding the Forest Service Wilderness Inholdings core project will be money well spent, completing established congressional designations and taking care of landowners who still own lands within
these now-designated wildernesses.
So, why worry? Arent wilderness areas secured when Congress designates them?
All designations include language that authorize the Federal acquisition of private
lands within these areas and, once acquired, automatically protect them as part of
the designated wilderness that surrounds them. As part of our celebration of the
50th anniversary of the 1964 Wilderness Act, the Trust has commissioned an inventory of private lands within wilderness. The results are startling. The report determined that within the lower 48 States, 180,000 acres of private lands still remain.
There are also 440,000 acres of State owned lands.
This represents tremendous progress reducing private inholdings in wilderness
over the last 20 years. When the Trust last estimated the amount of private land
within designated wilderness in the lower 48 States, we estimated there were
400,000 acres of private lands. It has taken decades of steady work to reduce that
by more than half. During the same timeframe, 507 new or additional areas were
congressionally designated, adding close to 29 million acres to the National Wilderness Preservation System. So, true progress indeed. Large appropriations for the
inholding accounts did not accomplish this successjust steady, modest funding so
that lands can be purchased when landowners want to sell. This is the level of funding we are hoping to continue.
These designated lands are worthy of completion. Landowners who are ready to
sell deserve to have their properties purchased. Their isolated properties are primarily the result of 19th century congressional policy when homesteads, mining operations and timber production were encouraged without the balance of conservation. As a result, wilderness areas now dedicated by Congress are pockmarked with
islands of private ownership that compromise the wilderness resource, where even
man is a visitor who shall not remain, become expensive management issues for
the agencies and often befuddle landowners who wish to sell these properties for the
benefit of their companies or families.
Why is consistent funding for the inholding accounts vital? We have learned that
these lands become available about once a generation. Our 20 years of steady work
has shown that about 5 percent of the properties within wilderness come up for sale
in any 1 year. If the opportunity to acquire these when offered is lost, the management issues and inefficiencies that result from private lands remaining within designated wilderness continue. Without consistent funding, numerous opportunities to
acquire these private parcels will be lost. Not for a year, but often for at least another generation.
Many inholding acquisitions secure access. However, the Forest Service fiscal year
2015 budget request to alter the purpose of the inholdings acquisition program to
focus solely on recreational access would undermine the success of the program. Acquiring inholdings secures access where it is now blocked by private land within the
Forest Service boundaryin our case within designated wilderness. The Recreational Access idea is a new program that aims to expand Federal ownership to
include access easements outside current Forest Service boundaries. We do not have
a position on the merits or need for such an expansion of Forest Service management responsibilities. We are here to simply to say that the aim of the new program
is not the same as the inholdings acquisition program and should be evaluated on
its own merits, not substituted for a 50-year proven effort specifically authorized by
Congress. We urge you to assure the continued success of the inholdings acquisition
program by maintaining the traditional use of the accounts for all four land management agencies and prioritizing wilderness acquisitions in any fiscal year 2015
appropriations legislation.
This year, critical acquisitions will not be completed without a commitment to
fund the inholding accounts. In 2013, critical project examples we worked to acquire
included:
The only inholding within the Hells Canyon Wilderness in Idaho was offered
for sale by the family that long owned it. We bought it and are in the process
of transferring it to Federal ownership. Buying this key 10 acre mining claim
parcel completed the wilderness, helped the family with its generational change

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and kept the promise that when wilderness inholders want to sell, the United
States will acquire their properties.
East Fork High Rock Canyon Wilderness in Nevada includes historic reminders
of the settlement of the west in the mid-19th Century. It also included one remaining 320 acre inholding. Now transferred to Federal ownership, this wilderness is complete and the family ranching operation that used to own it successfully reorganized so the next generation will continue their ranching business
and tradition.
The Elkhorn Ridge Wilderness is less than one quarter of a mile from Highway
101 in Northern California. But you cant get there from here. The access to
the wilderness is blocked by 40 acres of private land. When acquired by BLM,
this beloved wilderness that stretches toward the sea from Highway 101 will
be accessible to the many youth groups that covet this summit to sea hiking
and educational wilderness experience. We bought it and are now working
through the transfer to BLM to create much needed public access and preserve
the 50-year tradition of wilderness education at the summer camp on the property.
Weve also been able to help other private landowners and secure other wilderness
areas. Among them
A timber company in northern California that is re-aligning its landownership
and has worked with the Trust to sell its property, opening access to the Castle
Crags Wilderness from the east and the nearby freeway. The newly created access to the nearby wilderness has the potential to provide significant new economic opportunities for the nearby hard-hit community of Dunsmere to develop
recreation-based businesses.
And, a landowner who built a cabin at a former gold mine on the banks of the
Salmon River within the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. We will
work over the next year to clean up the mine site to protect the river. The
transfer of this property to Federal ownership will further consolidate protection
of the wilderness and enhance the recreational opportunities so economically
important to Idaho and as a resource for the Nation.
The expenses of managing these isolated private lands do not fall solely on the
Federal Government. Tax revenues received by local governments do not offset the
cost of providing fire protection, emergency and general government services to
these isolated and far flung properties. It costs more to serve these isolated single
properties than the tax revenue they generate. If you fund the inholding accounts,
we will be back next year with more stories of success:
Success completing already designated wilderness;
Success helping those private landowners, who often feel trapped within designated wilderness, but were promised that their land would be purchased at
a fair market price if they chose to sell;
Success helping local governments control costs; and
Success helping land management agencies reduce costs of management and
fire suppression.
In summary, continued consistent funding of the inholding accounts is vital. Without such funding, significant opportunities to acquire private parcels within our designated wilderness areas will be lost for at least another generation. We urge your
support of continued funding for these accounts and for the Forest Services Wilderness Inholdings core project.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify. We greatly appreciate your time and consideration and the support of the subcommittee in securing these appropriations.

PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

WILDERNESS SOCIETY

The Wilderness Society (TWS) represents more than 500,000 members and supporters who share our mission to protect wilderness and inspire Americans to care
for our wild places. We thank the subcommittee for the opportunity to submit comments on the fiscal year 2015 Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.
When deciding on funding that affects hundreds of millions of Americans, we urge
you to take into account the full economic, social, environmental and cultural value
of the many programs managed by this subcommittee. Our public lands and waters
contribute significantly to the U.S. outdoor recreation economy. The Outdoor Industry Associations latest report shows that outdoor recreation alone generates $646
billion in direct consumer spending, supports 6.1 million direct jobs and generates
$79.6 billion in Federal, State and local tax revenue.

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Investments in these critical programs will provide jobs and protect the health
and economic wellbeing of local communities. We urge bold, immediate action in
support of conservation funding for fiscal year 2015. Specifically, TWS recommends:
WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT

The 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act is September 3rd, 2014. This provides
a unique and valuable opportunity to highlight the role wilderness plays in protecting ecosystems, wildlife, and primitive outdoor recreation opportunities across
the country. Americas National Wilderness Preservation System is a world renowned model for land conservation, yet our wilderness areas are suffering from a
lack of funding. Trail maintenance, law enforcement, monitoring, and user education are all significantly underfunded, leading to an erosion of wilderness values
and a diminution of the experience for wilderness visitors. We recommend that each
of the agency wilderness management accounts be increased to provide trails maintenance, update signage, remove fencing, fight invasive species, restore degraded hydrology, and monitor effects of climate change, among other critical wilderness preservation system needs. Specifically:
Crosscutting.Adequately fund the Carhartt Training Center, the Leopold Research Institute, and the Interagency Wilderness Character Monitoring Team to
complete wilderness character baseline assessments using Wilderness Fellows.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Wilderness.The budget proposal of
$18.435 million for BLM wilderness management is strong, but still 7 percent
lower than the fiscal year 2011 enacted level, the funding level necessary to ensure resource and visitor safety in the 221 BLM wilderness areas. TWS supports restoring BLM Wilderness funding to the fiscal year 2011 level of $19.663
million.
Forest Service Recreation, Wilderness and Heritage.Recreation is the most
ubiquitous use of our forest lands, connecting with more people and occurring
on more acres than any other use, as well as accounting for more than half of
all job and income affects attributable to Forest Service programs (over 190,000
jobs and $11 billion in spending effects by visitors). We urge Congress to support wilderness and recreation by restoring funding to the fiscal year 2010 level
of $285.1 million for the Recreation, Heritage and Wilderness Program.
National Park Service Wilderness.Provide a funding increase for the base wilderness program from its current level of $450,000 as well as 2 years of total
funding at $520,000 to highlight and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Wilderness Act. Additional funding would eliminate the backlog of Wilderness
Stewardship Plans, support training for all wilderness park superintendents,
improve coordination with interagency Landscape Conservation Cooperatives,
and reduce the likelihood of litigation due to management inconsistencies.
LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND

Now in its 50th Anniversary year, LWCF remains the premier Federal program
to conserve our Nations land, water, historic, and recreation heritage. It is a critical
tool to acquire inholdings and protect national parks, national wildlife refuges, national forests, BLM lands, and other Federal areas. The companion LWCF State
grants program provides crucial support for State and local park acquisitions, recreational facilities, and trail corridors. LWCF also funds two other important State
grant programsthe Forest Legacy Program and Cooperative Endangered Species
programsthat ensure permanent conservation of important forest lands and
threatened and endangered species habitat, as well as important wildlife and recreational habitat and ensures that public lands stay public for hunters, anglers, and
other outdoor recreationists for generations to come.
TWS strongly supports fully funding LWCF at the proposed $900 million. Full
funding for LWCF will allow land management agencies to manage our public
lands more efficiently and cost-effectively. This is achieved through strategic
inholdings acquisition which reduces internal boundary line surveying, right-ofway conflicts and special use permits.
EMERGENCY WILDFIRE FUNDING

For years U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI)
have had to divert funds away from vital conservation and wildfire mitigation programs to cover wildfire suppression costs. This is having long term negative effects
on conservation and land management, especially where these funds are diverted
from programs aimed at reducing fire risks and costs, which creates a vicious cycle.
With longer and more severe fire seasons the Forest Service has seen its wildfire

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management activities rise from 13 percent of the agencys budget in fiscal year
1991 to almost 50 percent for the past several fiscal years.
TWS strongly supports the Presidents proposal of $954 million in new budget
authority for wildfire suppression under the FLAME Suppression Cap Adjustment. This will eliminate the need to rob other accounts to pay for the worst
1 percent of wildfires.
CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCY

Wilderness, public lands, connected wildlife habitats and other types of green infrastructure are some of the most cost-effective investments that can be made to
increase climate change resiliency. Connected wild landscapes allow species and
habitats to adapt more easily to changes in climate, buffer local communities from
storms and natural disasters and our national forests can be effective carbon sinks.
TWS supports the Presidents $1 billion climate change fund to safeguard not
only our public lands but our communities and our economy.
BLM ONSHORE OIL AND GAS POLICY

The BLM is implementing important management reforms of its oil and gas program that is leading toward a better balance between oil and gas development on
public lands and the protection of the numerous natural resource values that were
put at risk by previous policies. The administration has proposed these reforms of
the BLMs oil and gas program, which TWS supports:
A fee on onshore Federal operators sufficient to provide for a $48 million per
year inspection and enforcement program to implement recommendations made
by the Government Accountability Office; Continuation of the $6,500 APD fee;
A $4.00 per acre fee on non-producing onshore leases.
SAGE GROUSE INITIATIVE

The Wilderness Society supports the administrations $15 million request for the
BLMs National Greater Sage Grouse Planning Strategy. If successful, implementation of this strategy will lead to recovery of this important western game species
without the necessity of a listing under the Endangered Species Act.
BLMS NATIONAL LANDSCAPE CONSERVATION SYSTEM

The National Landscape Conservation System (Conservation Lands) comprises

some 27 million acres of congressionally and presidentially designated lands and
waters, including National Monuments, National Conservation Areas, Wilderness
Areas and other designations. Stewardship of the Conservation Lands provides jobs
for thousands of Americans while supporting vibrant and sustainable economies in
surrounding communities. The Conservation Lands provide immeasurable public
values from modest investments: outstanding recreational opportunities, wildlife
habitat, clean water, wilderness, and open space near cities. We ask Congress to:
Support the administrations fiscal year 2015 recommendation of $66.5 million
to ensure the natural, cultural, and historical resource protection provided by
the Conservation Lands for the American public.
Restore the Challenge Cost Share Program at full funding of $19 million. This
is a cross-cutting program within DOI, which provides a 1:1 match for volunteer
activities.
RENEWABLE ENERGY

TWS is a strong proponent of transitioning our country to a clean energy economy

by developing our renewable energy resources responsibly. We believe renewable energy is an appropriate and necessary use of the public lands when sited in areas
screened for habitat, resource, and cultural conflicts. TWS hopes the Department
will continue to support a program that ensures our public lands can play an important role in supporting renewable energy infrastructure through environmental review, suitability screening, and energy zone identification to find suitable places for
needed renewable energy projects. TWS is also a supporter of Secretarial Order
3330 on Mitigation that would ensure that any impacts are avoided or offset. TWS
urges Congress to:
Support increased funding for renewable energy programs across Interior from
fiscal year 2014 enacted.

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Support the Departments request to fund BLMs renewable energy activity at
no less than $29 million to make up for the impact of sequestration.
Increase funding for the FWS to review and permit renewable energy projects
on public lands.
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM FUNDING

The National Wildlife Refuge System is the worlds finest network of protected
lands and waters. Designed to conserve our fish and wildlife resources, refuges are
located in every State and territory and provide enormous economic benefit for their
local communities. Every year, the System attracts 45 million tourists, hunters, fishermen, and other recreationists, generating $1.7 billion in sales, sustaining nearly
27,000 jobs annually, and contributing over $185 million in tax revenue. The Refuge
System has been under increasing fiscal strain, however, with a maintenance backlog of over $3 billion.
We urge Congress to support funding for the National Wildlife Refuge System
at the Presidents recommendation of $476.4 million.
NATIONAL FOREST RESTORATION

The Legacy Roads and Trails (LRT) and Collaborative Forest Restoration Programs (CFLR) provide essential funding to restore watersheds, improve recreational
access by focusing on roads and trails where water quality and aquatic species are
at risk and advance collaborative restoration projects. Despite its success, the LRT
program was slashed 50 percent in fiscal year 2011 and again in fiscal year 2014
by 22 percent. We look forward to the results of the 3-region test pilot for Integrated
Resource Restoration (IRR). However, we do not recommend that the IRR pilot program be expanded until the test regions have proven that IRR can improve restoration outcomes without a loss of program transparency and accountability. To achieve
restoration goals in fiscal year 2015, TWS recommends that Congress:
Restore Legacy Roads and Trails funding to $45 million within Capital Improvement and Maintenance;
Fully fund the CFLRP at the Presidents recommendation of $60 million; and
Extend the IRR pilot program, and works closely with the Forest Service and
stakeholders to ensure transparency and accountability for the activities and
outcomes of the pilot program.
FOREST SERVICE INVENTORY & MONITORING AND PLANNING

The Inventory and Monitoring is integral to forest planning serving both as the
baseline data and trigger for course correction. The Planning Program funds amendments and revisions to Land Management Plans, the overarching documents that
guide the management of individual forests and grasslands. By providing adequate
and consistent funding to both these programs, we advance plans and projects, and
avoid bad decisionmaking, unnecessary costs, and more risks to water quality and
quantity, wildlife, and recreation. TWS recommends that Congress:
Support Inventory & Monitoring and Planning by restoring funding to the running 10-year average of $163,689,000 and $48,254,000, respectively.
NATIONAL FOREST ROADS

Over the past 4 years, Forest Service roads funding has been cut by 30 percent
adding even more strain to a road system where the collective cost continues to far
outstrip the Forest Services financial capacity. Roads are one of the most significant
stressors on watersheds and ecosystems, contributing to water pollution and declines in salmon, trout and other fish. Adequate funding for the road system is needed to address public safety issues, the negative effects of roads on wildlife and
water, and provide high quality recreational access to the American public. Adequate funding will also ensure that previous taxpayer investments in our forest infrastructure are not squandered through lack of maintenance.
We urge Congress to fund Capital Improvement and Maintenance Roads at the
running 10-year average of $207,383,000 in fiscal year 2015.
We recommend that Capital Improvement and Maintenance Roads funds are
available for maintenance and operations, reconstruction, limited construction,
and decommissioning.

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NATIONAL FOREST TRAILS

There are 155,600 miles of trails in the National Forest System. These trails provide 50 million visitor days of cross-country skiing, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and off-road vehicle use each year. The number of annual visitor days
has grown 376 percent since 1977, and the total mileage of trails has grown 56.9
percent to accommodate this use. In fiscal year 2014 the trails budget was cut nearly 9 percent to $75 million, despite the fact that the Government Accountability Office reported in June 2013 that the agency has more than a $500 million trail maintenance backlog. Currently, the Forest Service is able to maintain only a third of
its trail miles to a minimum standard condition.
In light of the history and conditions we describe above, we urge Congress to
fund Capital Improvement and Maintenance Trails at its fiscal year 2010 level
of $85,381,000 in fiscal year 2015.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski and members of the subcommittee:

The Wildlife Conservation (WCS) was founded with the help of Theodore Roosevelt
in 1895 with the mission of saving wildlife and wild places worldwide. Today, WCS
manages the largest network of urban wildlife parks in the United States led by
our flagship, the Bronx Zoo. Globally, WCS works to protect 25 percent of the
worlds biodiversity and address four of the biggest issues facing wildlife and wild
places: climate change; natural resource exploitation; the connection between wildlife health and human health; and the sustainable development of human livelihoods. While taking on these issues, we manage more than 200 million acres of protected lands around the world, employing more than 4,000 staff including 200 Ph.D.
scientists and 100 veterinarians.
The American conservation tradition is based on promoting sustainable use of our
natural resources in order to preserve the worlds species and environment for future generations. In recognition of the current fiscal constraints, it is important to
note that effective natural resources management and conservation has indirect economic benefits, including contributing to local economies through tourism and other
means.
Domestically, the story of the American bison is an excellent example of how longterm conservation and management of a natural resource can have a very positive
economic impact. Brought to the edge of extinction at the end of the 19th century,
a few bison were saved, mostly through the actions of private ranchers. Conservationists, led by Roosevelt and William Hornaday, brought some of the few remaining
bison to the Bronx Zoo to breed the animals for eventual reintroduction. Within 2
years, 15 bison bred in captivity at the Zoo were returned to their natural habitat
under Federal control in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in Congressman
Coles district in Oklahoma, the very first wildlife refuge in the United States. This
is the first known instance of a nearly-extinct mammal being successfully reestablished.
Today, more than 20,000 bison are in federally-managed herds and serve as major
tourist attractions at Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and other jewels of the National
Park system. States are also successfully managing herds, with the Henry Mountains herd in Congressman Stewarts district being particularly notable because, in
addition to being a tourist attraction, it generates revenues through hunting concessions. And in every State in the country, private producers manage 200,000 bison,
sustaining thousands of jobs and generating more than $280 million in revenue.
Clearly, the rescue, reestablishment and conservation of bison is a great success,
both environmentally and economically.
Internationally, by supporting conservation, the U.S. is increasing capacity and
governance in developing nations and improving our own national security as a result. And these efforts are absolutely critical, as we have reached a crisis with regard to the trafficking of wildlife. U.S Government estimates compiled by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) last summer show that illegal trade in endangered wildlife products, including elephant ivory, rhino horns, and turtle shells, is
worth at least an estimated $7 to $10 billion annually. When the trade in illegal
logging, plants and fisheries are also included, CRS states that some estimates exceed $100 billion, which would place the illegal wildlife trade among the 10 largest
criminal activities worldwide. Because of the lucrative nature of this industry, evidence is showing increasingly that transnational criminal organizations and terrorist groups that are involved in other major trafficking operationsdrugs, humans
and weaponsare engaged in wildlife trafficking as well.

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On the ground in Africa and elsewhere, WCS scientists are seeing, first-hand, the
devastating impact poaching is having on elephants, rhinos, tigers, and other iconic
species. In 2012 alone, we estimate that 35,000 African elephants were killed for
their ivorythat is an average of 96 elephants per day or one killed every 15 minutes. The subspecies of African forest elephants has seen a decline of 65 percent
since 2002, dwindling to less than 80,000 today. Continued poaching at these rates
may mean the extinction of forest elephants within a decade. Action must be taken
now, so that we do not end up where we were with bison 100 years ago. Although
that story continues to be a happy one, there is no guarantee that story of the elephant will not, ultimately, be a tragedy.
The Federal Government recently announced the National Strategy for Combating
Wildlife Trafficking (National Strategy), which is designed to provide a framework
for a whole-of-government approach to addressing wildlife trafficking. Several programs within this bill form the basis upon which that strategy is built. This testimony will touch on several of those programs, beginning with the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, which plays a key role in the National Strategy and U.S.
antitrafficking efforts.
UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

Multinational Species Conservation Fund (MSCF).Global priority speciessuch

as tigers, rhinos, African and Asian elephants, great apes, and marine turtlesface
constant danger from poaching, habitat loss and other serious concerns. MSCF programs have helped to sustain wildlife populations by controlling poaching, reducing
human-wildlife conflict, and protecting essential habitatall while promoting U.S.
economic and security interests in far reaching parts of the world. These programs
are highly efficient, granting them an outsized impact because they consistently leverage three to four times as much in matching funds from corporations, conservation groups, and national governments. WCS requests that $10 million be appropriated for the MSCF for fiscal year 2015, equal to the fiscal year 2009 funding
level.
WCS has had great success on projects using funds from the MSCF. In 2009, with
support from the African Elephant Conservation Fund, WCS launched a new project
in collaboration with Bauchi State Government to improve levels of protection and
reduce rates of elephant poaching in Yankari Game Reserve. Yankari contains the
largest surviving elephant population in Nigeria and one of the largest remaining
in West Africa. WCS has been able to make substantial progress in building the capacity of the ecoguard staff and empowering local authorities to manage this population. Despite years of extreme poaching pressure, the number of elephants killed
this year has been kept to a minimum through constant effort and surveillance. A
strong team of ecoguards is now using durable, GPS-enabled technology to detect
illegal activities and report back to authorities in an efficient way, utilizing realtime data and illustrative maps.
Wildlife Without Borders Global and Regional Programs.These programs are a
great investment in addressing cross-cutting threats to ecosystems and wildlife such
as disease outbreaks, human-wildlife conflict, and the bushmeat trade. Wildlife
Without Borders (WWB) is making lasting impacts through capacity building, technical support and training, local community education and citizen science. In fiscal
year 2015, WCS recommends funding the WWB Global and Regional Programs commensurate with the Presidents request of $7.2 million.
Created in 2010, the WWB Critically Endangered Animals Fund provided over
$300,000 in grants in fiscal year 2013 to protect the most imperiled species on the
planet. This funding was matched more than 2 for 1 by non-Federal contributions.
A portion of this funding is supporting a successful WCS project in Myanmar to ensure a genetically diverse, self-sustaining, wild population of the Burmese roofed
turtle. I urge you to include language in the report to accompany the bill that would
ensure this small but important program for critically endangered species remains
open.
Office of Law Enforcement.The U.S. remains one of the worlds largest markets
for wildlife and wildlife products, both legal and illegal. A small group of dedicated
officers at the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) Office of Law Enforcement (OLE)
are tasked with protecting fish, wildlife, and plant resources by investigating wildlife crimesincluding commercial exploitation, habitat destruction, and industrial
hazardsand monitoring the Nations wildlife trade to intercept smuggling and facilitate legal commerce.
Many of the new responsibilities placed on the FWS by the National Strategy will
be enforced by the OLE, and WCS supports the Presidents request for $65.8 million. Most of the proposed increase will go to strengthening forensic capabilities

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needed to address wildlife trafficking and expanding the capacity of the Special Investigations Unit so that it can maximize the scope and effectiveness of FWS efforts
to respond to the elephant poaching crisis and shutdown trafficking in elephant
ivory. This funding, in concert with full implementation of the effort to deploy OLE
personnel at key embassies overseas, will increase investigations involving species
that are victimized by illegal trade.
The National Strategy calls for the Federal Government to increase coordination
among law enforcement and intelligence agencies to enhance the effectiveness of
Federal efforts to combat wildlife trafficking. For no agency is this increased coordination with the intelligence community more important than for the OLE. We
strongly encourage the Committee to include language in the report that would facilitate increased coordination between the OLE and the intelligence community.
State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program.The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants
program gives States and tribes funding to develop and implement comprehensive
conservation plans to protect declining wildlife and habitats before protection under
the Endangered Species Act is necessary. This important program is supported by
more than 6,200 organizations that have formed a national bipartisan coalition
called Teaming with Wildlife of which WCS is a steering committee member. WCS
recommends Congress provide $58.7 million, equal to the fiscal year 2014 level, for
the program to implement State Wildlife Action Plans.
UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE

International Programs.The Forest Service International Programs (FSIP) level

the playing field in international trade for U.S. timber producers and reduce illegal
logging by providing specialized experience. This improves the sustainability and legality of timber management overseas which translates to less underpriced timber
undercutting U.S. producers. FSIP, through partnerships with USAID and the Department of State, helps to improve the resource management in countries of strategic importance to U.S. security. Resource scarcity and unregulated extraction of
natural resourceswhether water, food, timber, or mineralsis often a root cause
of unrest and corruption, both of which undermine democracy, the rule of law and
political stability. FSIP has increasingly leveraged modest funding from Congress to
make a big impact for the U.S. taxpayer. For every Federal dollar invested in FSIP,
four additional dollars is leveraged in matching funds and other contributions from
partners. WCS requests that the fiscal year 2014 enacted level of $8 million for the
FSIP is maintained in fiscal year 2015.
With technical and financial support from FSIP, WCS has been working to conserve a biologically rich temperate forest zone called the Primorye in the Russian
Far East. The region hosts over a hundred endangered species as well as numerous
threatened species, including the Far Eastern leopard and Amur tiger. Habitat conservation for these animals, which are dependent on large tracts of intact forest ecosystem, benefits associated species and biodiversity in the region. FSIP works with
us to exchange information and methodologies with Russian scientists, managers,
and students on a variety of wildlife-related topics to support conservation and capacity building efforts and ensure the sustainable management of forests and wildlife habitat.
UNITED STATES NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Office of International Affairs.In 1961, the U.S. Government initiated its first
international conservation program with the creation of the Office of International
Affairs (OIA). Since then, this office has facilitated technical assistance and exchange projects with counterpart agencies globally building on the legacy of American leadership in national parks management. OIA is also the managing agency
for World Heritage Sites located in the United States. Thanks to this program, NPS
is working on collaborative areas of trans-frontier concern, including at the Beringia
Shared Heritage Initiative (U.S.-Russia), which WCS has been involved with as part
of our ongoing conservation efforts in Arctic Alaska. WCS is currently studying the
behavior and survivorship of migratory birds that travel to Teshekpuk Lake in Alaskas National Petroleum Reserve to nest each year, as well as the impacts climate
change is having on Alaskas walrus populations. The international work conducted
by NPS is not only about helping other countries protect their parks and heritage.
It is about bringing home best practices and learning from international engagement that could benefit the American parks. WCS recommends including the Presidents request of $897,000 for the OIA in fiscal year 2015.
In conclusion, I appreciate the opportunity to share WCSs perspectives and make
a case for increased investment in conservation in the fiscal year 2015 Interior, EPA
and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. Conservation of public lands is an Amer-

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ican tradition and, as far back as 1909, Theodore Roosevelt recognized that the
management of our natural resources requires coordination between all nations.
Continued investment in conservation will reaffirm our global position as a conservation leader, while improving our national security and building capacity and
good governance in developing countries. Thank you.
PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

WILDLIFE SOCIETY

The Wildlife Society appreciates the opportunity to provide testimony on the fiscal
year 2015 budget for the Department of Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. The Wildlife Society was founded in 1937 and is a non-profit scientific and educational association representing nearly 10,000 professional wildlife biologists and
managers, dedicated to excellence in wildlife stewardship through science and education. Our mission is to represent and serve the professional community of scientists, managers, educators, technicians, planners, and others who work actively
to study, manage, and conserve wildlife and habitats worldwide.
UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

The State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program is the only Federal program that
supports States in preventing wildlife from becoming endangered. It is also the primary program supporting implementation of State Wildlife Action Plans, which detail on the ground conservation actions in each State to keep common species common. Funding assistance for State wildlife agencies is one of the highest priority
needs to prevent further declines in at-risk species in every State. Previous budget
reductions and sequestration have had a serious and disproportionate impact on
State and Tribal Wildlife Grants. Compounding these impacts is a decrease in funding recommended in the Presidents budget, to $50 million in fiscal year 2015. We
recommend Congress appropriate at least $58.7 million for State and Tribal Wildlife
Grants to maintain level funding in fiscal year 2015. We also ask that Congress not
shift additional funds directed to States through formula grants to a competitive allocation. This funding is critical for maintaining wildlife diversity programs at the
State level and a further reduction in the formula grants may have dramatic negative consequences.
As a member of the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement, or CARE, The
Wildlife Society supports the Presidents request for the National Wildlife Refuge
Systems operations and maintenance accounts at $476.4 million for fiscal year
2015. CARE estimates that the Refuge System needs at least $900 million in annual
operations and maintenance funding to properly administer its 562 refuges and 38
wetland management districts spanning over 150 million acres. Given current fiscal
realities, we understand that funding at $900 million is not currently possible. However, at its highest funding level in fiscal year 2010, the Refuge System received
only $503 millionlittle more than half the needed amount. Since that time, congressional appropriations have not only failed to account for rising costs, but have
been steadily backsliding resulting in the loss of 324 employees since 2011, or 9 percent of all staff. Yet the Refuge System actually pays for itself several times over
by generating $4.87 in economic activity for every $1 appropriated by Congress to
run the Refuge System.
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act is a cooperative, non-regulatory,
incentive-based program that has shown unprecedented success in restoring wetlands, waterfowl, and other migratory bird populations. This program has remained
drastically underfunded despite its demonstrated effectiveness. We support the
Presidents request of $34.1 million and encourage Congress to match this request
for fiscal year 2015.
The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act Grants Program supports partnership programs to conserve birds in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean,
where approximately 5 billion birds representing 341 species spend their winters,
including some of the most endangered birds in North America. This program
should be funded at or above $6.5 million to achieve maximum success. However,
recognizing the current fiscal climate, The Wildlife Society recommends Congress
maintain level funding for the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act at $3.7
million in fiscal year 2015.
The Wildlife Society supports adequate funding levels for all three subactivities
within the Ecological Services Program. Endangered species recovery efforts can ultimately lead to delisting, resulting in significant benefits to species through State
management efforts. FWS, with the help of Federal and State agency partners, has
been working to implement new strategies to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of this program and to reduce the regulatory burden on private landowners and

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industry partners. To support these actions and the increased emphasis on consultation and recovery, we recommend Congress match the Presidents request and provide $28 million for Listing, $105 million for Planning and Consultation, and $124
million for Conservation and Restoration in fiscal year 2015.
The voluntary Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (PFW) provides financial
and technical assistance to private landowners across the country to restore degraded habitat and to safeguard against potential regulatory burdens associated
with endangered species listings. With over two-thirds of our Nations lands held as
private property, and up to 90 percent of some habitats lost, private lands play a
key role in preserving our ecosystem. For example, working under a new MOU with
the Natural Resource Conservation Service, PFW has been critical in engaging private landowners to restore and maintain habitat for the Greater-sage Grouse in
States like Idaho and Nevada; potentially removing the need for a future listing. We
urge Congress to provide $60 million in support of the PFW Program in fiscal year
2015 in order to allow landowners to help contribute to land and wildlife preservation.
Through its International Affairs office, FWS works with many partners and
countries in the implementation of international treaties, conventions, and projects
for the conservation of wildlife species and their habitats. International trade, import, and transportation of wildlife species can have a huge impact on Americas security, economy, and environment. Careful regulation of imports and implementation of international policies is an important task. We ask Congress to match the
Presidents request of $14.6 million in support of FWS International Affairs in fiscal
year 2015.
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands support over 3,000 species of wildlife, more than 300 federally proposed or listed species, and more than 1,300 sensitive plant species. Historically, the Wildlife and Fisheries Management (WFM)
and the Threatened and Endangered Species Management (TESM) programs have
been forced to pay for the compliance activities of BLMs energy, grazing, and other
non-wildlife related programs, eroding both their ability to conduct proactive conservation activities and their efforts to recover listed species. Given the significant
underfunding of the BLMs wildlife programs, combined with the tremendous expansion of energy development across the BLM landscape, we recommend Congress appropriate $52.6 million for BLM Wildlife Management in fiscal year 2015. This will
allow BLM to maintain and restore wildlife and habitat by monitoring habitat conditions, conducting inventories of wildlife resources, and developing cooperative
management plans. We support the proposed increase of $15 million for sage grouse
conservation efforts; this kind of broad-scale, landscape based conservation is exactly what is needed to manage and conserve sage grouse across their range.
Increased funding is also needed for the Threatened and Endangered Species
Management Program, to allow BLM to meet its responsibilities in endangered species recovery plans. BLMs March 2001 Report to Congress called for a doubling of
the Threatened and Endangered Species budget to $48 million and an additional 70
staff positions over 5 years. This goal has yet to be met. In light of this, we strongly
encourage Congress to increase overall funding for BLMs endangered species program to $48 million in fiscal year 2015.
The Wildlife Society, part of the National Horse and Burro Rangeland Management Coalition, appreciates the commitment of BLM to addressing the problems associated with Wild Horse and Burro Management. We support the requested increase of $2.8 million for implementation of the National Academy of Sciences recommendations and findings and continued research and development on contraception and population control. However, with more than 12,000 horses above BLMs
stated Appropriate Management Levels on the range and nearly 50,000 horses in
off-site long- and short-term holding facilities The Wildlife Society is concerned
about BLMs emphasis on fertility control alone. The current language limiting the
use of humane euthanasia for unwanted or unadoptable horses should be removed
to allow BLM to use all necessary management tools to bring populations of on- and
off-range wild horses and burros within manageable range and additional funding
should be requested to correct the habitat damage that has occurred due to overpopulation of these animals. The requested $80.2 million should be provided to BLM
if they continue removing excess horses from the range at a reasonable rate and
focus additional resources on habitat restoration.

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UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

The basic, objective, and interdisciplinary scientific research that is supported by

the United States Geological Survey (USGS) is necessary for understanding the
complex environmental issues facing our Nation today. This science will play an essential role in the decisionmaking processes of natural resource managers, and it
will help protect our water supply and conserve endangered species. More investment is needed to strengthen USGS partnerships, improve monitoring, produce
high-quality geospatial data, and deliver the best science to address critical environmental and societal challenges. The Wildlife Society supports funding of at least
$1.1 billion for USGS in fiscal year 2015.
The Ecosystems Program of USGS contains programmatic resources for fisheries,
wildlife, environments, invasive species and the Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. The Ecosystems program strives to maximize research and support for
comprehensive biological and ecosystem based needs. The Wildlife Society supports
the Presidents request of $162 million for USGSs Ecosystems Department in fiscal
year 2015. Within Ecosystems, we support the request of $45.1 million for the Wildlife Program. Additionally, we appreciate the requested addition of $300,000 for pollinator research and of $1 million for research on the impacts of future energy development on wildlife sustainability.
The Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units (CFWRUs) are managed under
the Ecosystems Department and conduct research on renewable natural resource
questions, participate in the education of graduate students, provide technical assistance and consultation on natural resource issues, and provide continuing education for natural resource professionals. In fiscal year 2001, Congress fully funded
the CFWRUs, allowing unit productivity to rise to record levels. Since then, budgetary shortfalls have continued to cause an erosion of available funds, resulting in
a current staffing vacancy of nearly one quarter of the professional workforce. In
order to fill current vacancies, restore seriously eroded operational funds for each
CFWRU, and enhance national program coordination, the fiscal year 2015 budget
for the CFWRUs should be increased to $18.5 million, the level requested by the
President. This would restore necessary capacity in the CFWRU program and allow
it to meet the Nations research and training needs.
The Wildlife Society appreciates the fiscal year 2014 funding of $25.5 million for
the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center. This center plays a pivotal role in addressing the impacts of climate change on fish and wildlife by providing essential scientific support. In order for this role to be fully realized, The
Wildlife Society recommends that Congress fund the National Climate Change and
Wildlife Science Center at the requested $35.3 million in fiscal year 2015.
UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE

Our national forests and grasslands are essential to the conservation of our Nations wildlife and habitat, and are home to about 425 threatened and endangered
species, and another 3,250 at-risk species. In fiscal year 2011, the Forest Service
combined several programs and budgets, including Vegetation and Watershed Management, Wildlife and Fisheries Habitat Management, and Forest Products into a
single Integrated Resource Restoration activity budget. We continue to be concerned
with this merger because it makes accountability to stakeholders and Congress
more difficult. However, with these reservations noted, we urge Congress to support
the request of $820 million for the Integrated Resource Restoration program in fiscal year 2015.
Integral to management of our natural resources is a deep understanding of the
biological and geological forces that shape the land and its wildlife and plant communities. The research being done by the USFS is at the forefront of science, and
essential to improving the health of our Nations forests and grasslands. Furthermore, it will play a key role in developing strategies for mitigating the effects of
climate change. We urge Congress to match the Presidents request of $275 million
in fiscal year 2015 for Forest and Rangelands to support this high-quality research.
DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT

The Wildlife Society supports the request for $30.0 million to establish a new Resilient Landscapes activity to improve the integrity and resilience of forests and
rangelands by restoring natural vegetation landscapes to specific conditions and
maintaining fire resiliency.
Thank you for considering the recommendations of wildlife professionals.

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PREPARED STATEMENT

OF THE

WORLD WILDLIFE FUND

Chairman Reed, Ranking Member Murkowski, and members of the subcommittee,

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) requests your support for a number of important conservation programs within the Department of the Interior and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). WWF is the largest private conservation organization working
internationally to conserve wildlife and nature. WWF currently sponsors conservation programs in more than 100 countries with the support of 1.2 million members
in the United States and more than 5 million members worldwide. We respectfully
request that the subcommittee fund the following programs at the following levels
in fiscal year 2015:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement at no less than the
administrations request of $66.7 million, including additional funding to support implementation of the National Strategy on Wildlife Trafficking and at
least $4.8 million for Lacey Act enforcement.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of International Affairs at the administrations request of $14.6 million, including additional funding to support implementation of the National Strategy on Wildlife Trafficking.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Multinational Species Conservation Funds at $10
million, $900,000 above the administrations request.
One of WWFs top priorities is supporting efforts to combat wildlife trafficking and
the current global poaching crisis. The illegal trade in wildlife, including timber and
fish, is worth $1020 billion annually and is ranked among the top five most lucrative criminal activities worldwide. Wildlife trafficking is strongly linked to
transnational organized crime organizations and other criminal activities, such as
arms and drug trafficking. Large-scale illegal trade in wildlife, driven largely by
soaring demand in Asia for wildlife products, has sparked a poaching crisis that is
pushing some of our most iconic species towards extinction, including elephants, tigers and rhinos. This crisis is also having a devastating impact on local communities and undermining regional security and economic growth in the developing
world, including in countries of strategic importance to the United States. According
to an assessment released by Federal intelligence agencies in September 2013, there
is also significant evidence that wildlife trafficking is helping to finance armed
insurgencies and groups with ties to terrorism, including the Lords Resistance
Army, the Janjaweed, and al-Shabaab. Last year alone, an estimated 30,00035,000
elephants were killed illegally throughout Africa. In the past 10 years, the number
of forest elephants in Central Africa has dropped by two-thirds, putting them on the
path to extinction within the next 10 years. East Africa is also being hit hard: in
January, the Tanzanian Government released numbers showing that the population
of elephants in that countrys Selous Game Reserve had fallen 66 percent in just
4 yearsa shocking decline for a reserve that until recently was home to Africas
second largest concentration of elephants. In South Africa, the number of rhinos lost
to poaching has jumped 7000 percent between 2007 and 2013. A record 1004 South
African rhinos were illegally killed for their horns in 2013up 50 percent from the
year before and a stunning increase from only 13 poaching incidents in 2007. As
few as 3200 tigers remain in the wild in all of Asia, due in large part to poachers
killing the animals for their skins, bones and other body parts. Several of the agencies and programs that this subcommittee helps to fund play essential roles in combating this crisis, which is robbing developing countries of natural resources and
economic opportunities, harming American businesses by flooding global markets
with cheap illegal forest and fish products, and threatening U.S. security interests.
Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, the President issued an Executive
Order on July 2013 and mandated a National Strategy for Combatting Wildlife Trafficking, released in February 2014, which calls on all relevant agencies to work together as part of a whole-of-government response to the crisis. The Department of
Interior and the Fish and Wildlife Service will carry a large part of the responsibility for implementing the Strategy, and we believe they should be provided with
the necessary resources to be successful.
UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE OFFICE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT

The USFWS Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) investigates wildlife crimes, enforces regulation of wildlife trade, helps citizens comply with the law, and works
with other international and U.S. Government entities to carry out its mission. Its
agents and investigators also have a central role in implementing the new National
Strategy on Wildlife Trafficking and enforcing new domestic regulations on elephant
ivory. OLE wildlife inspectors are on the front lines in the fight against wildlife trafficking, working in nearly 40 designated and non-designated ports of entry around
the country. In fiscal year 2011, they processed 179,000 declared shipments of wild-

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life and wildlife products worth more than $2.8 billion. OLEs special agents are expert investigators that break up smuggling rings, stop commercial exploitation of
protected U.S. species, and work with States to protect U.S. game species from
poaching. Operation Crash is an ongoing nationwide criminal investigation led by
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that is addressing all aspects of U.S. involvement
in the black market rhino horn trade. The first phase of this probe, focused on unlawful purchase and outbound smuggling of rhino horn from the U.S., has resulted
in 15 arrests and nine convictions to date, involving charges include conspiracy,
smuggling, money laundering, tax evasion, bribery, and making false documents, as
well as violations of the Endangered Species Act and Lacey Act (the primary domestic law against wildlife trafficking). Eight arrests were made in February 2012 as
part of a nationwide takedown that involved more than 140 law enforcement officers executing search warrants in 13 States; 2013 has seen the arrests and indictments of several other individuals (including Chinese and U.S. antiques dealers)
who were operating a second large-scale rhino horn and elephant ivory smuggling
network. In spite of successes such as this one, OLE is severely underfunded to
meet the rapidly growing challenges it faces, including the need to place agents at
key posts around the world to assist in shutting down global wildlife smuggling
rings. OLEs budget has suffered a 17.8 percent reduction in real dollars since fiscal
year 2010, limiting its ability to investigate and prosecute wildlife crimes and help
citizens to comply with the law. Budget cuts through fiscal year 2013 have caused
cancellation of plans to hire 24 more special agents and prevented vacancies from
being filled for 14 front line inspectors as well as 3 forensics experts for the Clark
R. Bavin National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregonthe
only laboratory in the world dedicated to solving wildlife crimes and a unique asset
in efforts to crack down on ivory and rhino horn smuggling. USFWS OLE is also
responsible for enforcing of the Lacey Act and its expansion to cover plants and
plant products, and additional funding is needed to carry out enforcement activities
against those actors that choose to trade in illegal timber and timber products. The
illegal timber trade is estimated to cost U.S. industry $1 billion annually. With public enforcement cases, FWS sends a message that illegal activities will not be tolerated. Due to pressing needs and enhanced responsibilities under the National Strategy on Wildlife Trafficking, WWF recommends at least $66.7 million for the USFWS
Office of Law Enforcement, consistent with the administrations fiscal year 2015
budget request, including at least $4.8 million for Lacey Act enforcement.
UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

The USFWS International Affairs (IA) program supports efforts to conserve our
planets wildlife and biodiversity by protecting habitat, combating illegal wildlife
trade and building capacity for landscape-level wildlife conservation around the
world. The programs three divisionsthe Division of International Conservation,
the Division of Management Authority and the Division of Scientific Authority
manage various components of international wildlife conservation. The Division of
Management Authority and the Division of Scientific Authority run the International Wildlife Trade (IWT) program, which provides oversight of domestic laws
and international treaties that promote the long-term conservation of plant and animal species by ensuring that international trade and other activities do not threaten
their survival in the wild. IWT works to prevent illegal trade in wildlife and wildlife
products, which threatens vulnerable wildlife populations, undermines U.S. foreign
policy and security objectives by financing criminality and corruption, and transmits
diseases and invasive species, which negatively impact public health and economic
productivity in the U.S.one of the largest importers and exporters of wildlife products. IWT ensures trade is legal and does not harm species in the wild while implementing scientific and management requirements of laws and treaties for traded
species and issuing 15,00020,000 permits per year. Working with governments, industry and experts around the world, IWT also strives to establish conservation programs that include sustainable use, supporting economic opportunity while also conserving species. IWT also leads the U.S. Governments active engagement on the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora
(CITES), which is one of the most important tools for combating the global illegal
wildlife trade. The Division of International Conservation provides critical support
to on-the-ground species conservation through its Wildlife Without Borders (WWB)
programs and signature initiatives. The WWB Regional program supports species
and habitat conservation in priority regions, including Africa, Latin America and
the Caribbean and Mexico, through capacity building, outreach, education and training. This includes training African wildlife professionals to combat the bushmeat
trade and working to bolster wildlife laws and increase enforcement capacity in Afri-

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can countries. The WWB Global program targets crosscutting, global threats to wildlife, supports signature initiatives to maximize long-term impact, and address declines of critically endangered species, such as amphibians. From 2007 to 2013, the
WWB Regional and Global Programs supported more than 940 conservation
projects, awarded over $31 million in grants and leveraged an additional $46 million
in matching funds for on-the-ground wildlife conservation programs, education,
training and outreach. We recommend $14.6 million for the Office of International
Affairs, consistent with the administrations fiscal year 2015 budget request.
UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE MULTINATIONAL SPECIES CONSERVATION
FUNDS

Through the Multinational Species Conservation Funds (MSCF), the United

States supplements the efforts of developing countries struggling to balance the
needs of their human populations and endemic wildlife. These modest Federal programs, administered by USFWS, make targeted investments in conservation of several global priority species. In 1989, Congress passed the African Elephant Conservation Act authorizing a dedicated fund in response to the threat posed to that
species by rampant ivory poaching. Four more Funds have since been authorized to
support the conservation of Asian elephants, great apes, marine turtles, and tigers
and rhinos. Each of the funds is authorized at $5 million, with the exception of the
Rhino-Tiger Conservation Fund, which was intended as a double fund to address
both sets of species, and is therefore authorized at $10 million. Appropriated funds
for the programs have consistently remained roughly 30 percent or less of the authorized level. MSCF programs have played a critical role in saving wild populations
of these species by controlling poaching, reducing human-wildlife conflict and protecting essential habitat. In light of the resurgence of a severe poaching crisis in
Africa, these funds are just as important and relevant now as they were when Congress passed them.
Support from the Rhino-Tiger Conservation Fund (RTCF) and the Asian Elephant
Conservation Fund (AsECF) to World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and its local partners
has contributed to incredible successes in protecting endangered wildlife in Nepal.
The funds have supported anti-poaching, habitat restoration and species monitoring
that, combined with community-level engagement and strong government support,
helped to ensure that no rhinos, tigers or elephants were poached in Nepal between
February 2012 and February 2013. This is the second time Nepal has celebrated a
year of zero-poaching (the first was in 2011) in spite of rising demand for rhino horn
and ivory on Asian black markets and a sharp increases in the number of rhinos
and elephants killed in Africa over the same period. In addition, RTCF funding has
supported efforts that have led to a 63 percent increase in Nepals tiger population
from 2009 to 2013 and is supporting the creation and expansion of tiger reserves
and protected areas in Malaysia, India and Thailand as well as anti-poaching and
enforcement efforts on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Also on Sumatra, AsECF
support to World Wildlife Fund has helped to established Flying Squadsteams
of rangers equipped with noise and light-making devices and trained elephants that
drive wild elephants back into the forest whenever they threaten to enter villages.
The Squads have reduced losses suffered by local communities and prevented retaliatory killings. In 2009, they helped reduce elephant mortality in the Riau region
by 27 percent in 2009 compared to the previous 4 years. The African Elephant Conservation Fund (AfECF) is supporting improved protected area enforcement in several African countries, including hiring and training of local ecoguards to protect
populations of elephants and other threatened wildlife. In Cameroons Campo Maan
National Park, the AfECF supported a large-scale anti-poaching operation involving
village and forest patrols, soldiers and game guards that flushed out four suspected
poachers, including two notorious elephant poachers, and resulted in the seizure of
450 lbs. of bushmeat. Since 2008, the Great Ape Conservation Fund (GACF) has
been supporting conservation efforts in Virunga National ParkAfricas oldest national park (established in 1925), which contains some of the richest biodiversity of
any protected area on the continent and one of the largest populations of endangered mountain gorillas. GACF funding has helped to improve law enforcement and
training for park rangers, develop alternative fuel sources to reduce the destructive
practice of charcoal creation from the parks forests, increase aerial surveillance capacity, and grow the parks tourist revenue through a chimpanzee habituation and
tourism project that generated nearly $1 million in 2011 alone. In the Solomon Islands of the Pacific, the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund (MTCF) has supported
WWF conservation activities on important nesting beaches for endangered sea turtles, including turtle tagging, DNA sampling, nesting beach cleanups, hatchery construction, workshops on community-based monitoring, and active monitoring of

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nests during the turtles nesting seasons. Hatchling success has grown each year
since the program began.
These programs have proven remarkably successful, generating enormous constituent interest and strong bipartisan support in Congress. Since 1989, they have
awarded over 2,300 grants and actively engaged with nearly 600 domestic and foreign partners, working in over 54 foreign countries. From 2007 to 2013, MSCF programs provided $77 million in grant funding for on-the-ground conservation,
leveraging nearly $117 million in additional matching funds. WWF recommends $10
million for the Multinational Species Conservation Funds, an increase of $900,000
over the Administrations fiscal year 2015 budget request.
Thank you for considering these requests.